EP1086516B1 - Modular electrical converter - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a modular electrical converter, comprising at least one male connecting element (3) and a corresponding female connecting element (5). The invention is characterised in that each of the corresponding elements (3, 5) comprises an identical insulating housing (13), said housing (13) comprising an axial bore (15) receiving the male (7) or female (9) contact element, and at least two transverse drill holes (17) perpendicular to said bore (15), through which it can be threaded on the matching rods and fixed to form a modular assembly of connector elements, the connecting male and female element assemblies matching in shape for axial plug-in or plug-out.

Description

The invention relates to a modular electrical connector, and in particular an electrical power connector made up of modular connection elements to be placed at way as needed.

We know electrical connectors arranged in series on support rails, modularly, as required and made up of separate plug and socket elements.

We know in particular by PR 1 097 940 A (SOCAPEX PONSOT) a multiple electrical plug made of insulating material formed in one piece and can be combined with several similar electrical plugs. Insulating blocks have two nipples and two recesses correspondents (two nesting points) for their adjacent positioning.

The invention aims to improve these connectors modular electrics, in particular for the transmission of power.

It is proposed for this purpose according to the invention a modular electrical connector according to claim 1.

Said insulating body has a conformation rectangular parallelepiped and said holes are arranged laterally at the base of the body and in the same plane perpendicular to the axial bore, so that the elements connector can be assembled in line on rods and the connector element lines can themselves be supported fixed on cross bars to lines, allowing an assembly of connector elements on a map, with connection correspondence of male and female connector element assemblies in plan.

Thus, said body has on each of its faces assembly, at least one projection and a shaped recess complementary, at a distance from each other. This protrusion and this recess are received respectively in a recess and a complementary projection of the adjacent body face. They are intended to allow the nesting of two bodies adjacent and a third nesting point, for example a projecting element (lug) of a face coming in a complementary recess of an adjacent face, is provided on each of the assembly faces so as to position precisely in volume said assembly socket of body of connector elements.

Said projection may consist of an annular shoulder formed axially on the edge of a drill hole. A complementary recess is therefore formed on the face opposite assembly of the body. So an assembly face of a body fits on the assembly face of a body adjacent, along three points arranged in a triangle to allow rigorous positioning online and in plan the assembly of the connector elements, which must be find relatively accurately in correspondence to allow the insertion of an assembly of male connectors in an assembly of connector elements opposite female.

Naturally, insulating flanges can be arranged between said connector elements, in view to increase the length of the current leakage line between two adjacent or neighboring connector elements, or possibly allow a polarization of a connector to a other.

The body further includes an annular shoulder threaded at the top, coaxial with the bore and allowing connection with a cable clamp driver. An annular recess is provided on the face lower, opposite, for mounting a ring sealing of the contact, which, mounted on one of the body recesses, is received in a sealed manner in the opposite annular recesses of two connector elements corresponding to the plug-in.

• la figure 1 est une vue en élévation d'un assemblage en ligne d'un connecteur électrique modulaire selon l'invention, avant enfichage,
• les figures 2 et 3 sont des vues en coupe de deux éléments de connecteur mâle et femelle correspondants du connecteur, respectivement avant enfichage et enfichés,
• la figure 4 est une vue en perspective des corps d'éléments de connecteur correspondants dans des plans de vue différents et montrant leur emboítement, et
• la figure 5 est une vue d'une variante de réalisation montrant un assemblage d'éléments de connecteur en surface, sur des barres de fixation.

The invention is illustrated below with the aid of exemplary embodiments and with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

• FIG. 1 is an elevation view of an online assembly of a modular electrical connector according to the invention, before plugging in,
• FIGS. 2 and 3 are sectional views of two corresponding male and female connector elements of the connector, respectively before plugging in and plugged in,
• FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the bodies of corresponding connector elements in different view planes and showing their interlocking, and
• Figure 5 is a view of an alternative embodiment showing an assembly of connector elements on the surface, on fixing bars.

A modular in-line connector according to the invention is shown in Figure 1. This connector results from a linear assembly of two corresponding sets 1 of elements connector, male 3 and female 5 respectively, intended to be plugged into each other or plugged in arrow, respectively, by engagement of the elements of male contact 7 in the corresponding female elements 9.

The lower set 1 of female contact is secured a support element 11, thus corresponding to the base of the connector and the upper male set 1 is movable, corresponding to the card.

Each of the games has 3 connector elements, respectively male 3 (with a male contact element) for the upper set or plug, and females 5 (with a female contact element) for the lower clearance or base. The connector elements 3, 5 each have a body insulator 13 and a contact element 7 or 9 fixed in the body (Figures 2 and 3). The insulating bodies 13 are identical with the resulting manufacturing advantage.

The male contact elements 7 are identical in the same way than the female contact elements 9.

The insulating bodies 13 are mounted opposite from a clearance to the other. They are basically shaped rectangular and each have a through central bore 15 housing the contact element 7 or 9, and two parallel lateral drilling holes 17 arranged in the same plane perpendicular to the bore 15 and close to the base. The contact elements 7, 9 are cylindrical, substantially the same diameter as the bore 15, being each axially fixed therein. The holes drilling 17 each receive a threaded rod 19 (threaded in the body), and the connector elements 3, 5 of each games are thus connected in adjacent position one to the other, by means of two threaded rods 19, being mounted clamped on top of each other by means of two end tabs 21 to which are tightened nuts 23 to the ends of threaded rods 19.

Insulating flanges 25 are interposed between the connector elements 3, 5. These flanges 25 increase the current creepage path (to be used for power connectors) and protect against any risk of arcing between the contact elements 7 or 9 under load.

Guides 27 for centering the plug-in are fixed on the upper legs 21 and engage in holes complementary 29 of the lower tabs 21 when plugged in.

The plugged connector has a plane of symmetry longitudinal median (except elements described below) containing in particular the axes of contact elements 7, 9 and centering guides 27, and the insulating bodies 13 are mounted axially opposite to each other as mentioned above. These bodies have a external threaded shoulder 31 receiving the clamp of the conductive cable (not shown) connected to the element of contact, and at the opposite end an annular recess enlarged 33 able to receive a ring as required seal 35 of the contact (see figures 2,3). This ring 35 can be fixed on the male connector element 3, being held by a snap ring 37 engaged in the base of the male contact element 7. The latter is retained at the other axial end by another washer or pin upper fixing 39. The pin 39 can be engaged in body grooves for orientation variable angle of the end plate of the element contact 7 in connection with the conductor cable.

The female contact element 9 is mounted so analogous to the male contact element 7 in the bore 15 of the corresponding connector element 5, being retained on the two opposite end shoulders of the bore of the body, by means of retaining washers 41 snapped onto the contact element, possibly with an orientation angularly adjusted of the contact element by a rear pin 43.

The assembly of connector elements 3, 5 of each games is obtained by linear interlocking of the bodies insulators 13. The bodies 13 indeed have on their assembly faces 45 opposite two by two (Figure 4) one annular shoulder 47 projecting from one of drill hole openings 17 and an annular recess complementary 49 to the opposite opening and vice versa on the other drilling hole 17. A projecting lug 51 is in further formed at the upper median level. This lug is received in a complementary recess 53 of the adjacent body 13 and constitutes a third point of nesting of the bodies 13 for ensure their precise linear positioning. Each lug 51 is adjacent to a recess 53 on the same side with reversing the lateral positioning on the opposite face 45.

An insulating flange 25, as mentioned above, formed with holes 55 for passage of the interlocking points 47, 51 of connector elements, is disposed therebetween.

The connector according to the invention can thus be mounted with a variable number of connector elements threaded on the threaded rods and assembled in line, as mentioned above, and clamped by end tabs on the rods threaded.

An alternative embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 5. According to this variant, the connector comprises as previously two corresponding male and female sets 1 ', one fixed and the other mobile. 3 'connector elements or 5 'of the same set are arranged in plan and for example according to a rectangle with six connector elements. The game opposite naturally has the same configuration. The elements connector are arranged in three rows 56 of two connector elements connected to a rigid frame rectangular 57. Each of the rows 56 results from a linear assembly of two 3 'or 5' connector elements threaded on two threaded rods 19 'fixed to said frame 57.

As before, the plug-in will be guided by guides 59 for centering the movement of the plug towards its base. Latches 61 or the like may furthermore lock the connection.

According to another variant, one could imagine bodies contactless and therefore of variable thickness only formed with the assembly faces of the element body connector described, and forming spacers between the connector elements.

Finally, the identical character of the bodies could concern only their external form, nevertheless remaining between two male and female connector elements corresponding, the contact element may be different from a connector element to a connector element neighbour.

Claims (10)

1. A modular electrical connector for power transmission, comprising at least one male connector element (3, 3') and one corresponding female connector element (5, 5'), each of the corresponding connector elements (3, 3'; 5, 5') comprising an identical insulating shell (13), which comprises an axial bore (15) accommodating the male (7) or female (9) contact element and at least two drilled through-holes (17) perpendicular to said bore (15), by means of which holes (17) it may be threaded onto complementary rods (19) and fixed to form a modular assembly (1, 1') of connector elements, the male and female connector element assemblies (1, 1') being of corresponding shape to allow axial plugging together or unplugging thereof, said insulating shell (13) further exhibiting the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped and said holes (17) being disposed laterally at the base of the shell (13) and in a single plane perpendicular to the axial bore (15), characterised in that said shell (13) comprises on each of its joining faces (45) at least one projection (47) and one recess (49) of complementary shape spaced therefrom, together with a third mating point (51, 53) remote from the first two, designed to allow mating of adjacent shells (13), so as thereby to limit joining play and to ensure that the connector elements mate precisely in three dimensions when the shells (13) are assembled.
2. A modular electrical connector according to claim 1, characterised in that said projection (47) consists of an annular shoulder formed axially at the edge of a drill hole (17), a complementary recess (49) being formed in the opposing joining face (45).
3. A modular electrical connector according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that said third point is an element (51) projecting from one face of a shell (13) and entering a complementary recess (53) in an adjacent face of a corresponding shell (13).
4. A modular electrical connector according to claim 3, characterised in that said projecting element is a lug (51).
5. A modular electrical connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises insulating plates (25) formed with holes (55) for passage of the mating points (47, 51) of the shells, these plates (25) being disposed between said connector elements with a view to increasing the length of the current creep distance between two adjacent or neighbouring connector elements or, optionally, to allowing polarisation of the connector.
6. A modular electrical connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said shell (13) further comprises at its upper part a threaded annular shoulder (31) coaxial with the bore (15) and allowing connection with a clamping collar of the conductor cable.
7. A modular electrical connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said shell (13) comprises an annular recess (33) on its lower face, allowing mounting of a contact sealing washer (35), which is accommodated in sealing manner in the opposing annular recesses (33) of two corresponding connector elements upon plugging together.
8. A modular electrical connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises two sets of connector elements (1), socket and plug, the connector elements being assembled in linear manner in variable numbers and clamped by end tabs (21).
9. A modular electrical connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises two sets of connector elements (1'), socket and plug, the connector elements being assembled in a two dimensional arrangement with a variable number of lines (56) of connector elements fixed on a rigid frame (57).
10. A modular electrical connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises contactless shells, forming spacers between the connector elements.

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