EP1411596B1 - Male connector with retaining element - Google Patents

Abstract

A plug casing (PC) (14) has a flexible locking arm (FLA) (21) with a locking link (23). A plug has a slider bar (SB) (29) in a limited but adjustable on-axis position in the PC. In a locking position, the plug prevents the FLA from any excursion and releases it in any different position. Compression springs (27) supported on the PC and the SB cause the SB to return to its locking position.

Description

The invention relates to a plug for connection to a socket, which is a socket housing with a first longitudinal axis and with a wall enclosed by a receiving space, which is open to an end face of the socket housing and closed at the end remote thereto by a bottom, the first contacts are, which protrude into the receiving space from the bottom parallel to the first longitudinal axis, comprising a plug housing having a second longitudinal axis, which has a longitudinal axis aligned with each other in the longitudinally parallel axes in the receiving space insertable first housing portion having an end face, from which to the first Contacts suitable second contacts for electrical connection with these are accessible, and a resilient retaining element which is formed of a steel wire, the two spaced from a connecting portion spring leg and in each case an angled adjoining these Befestigungsabschni tt has,

Such a connector shows US Pat. No. 6,106,321 , The resilient retaining element is arranged there on the socket housing within the receiving space and is supported against the ground. When inserting the plug housing into the receiving space of the socket housing, a protrusion projecting from the plug housing initially runs axially against a connecting web of the holding element extending transversely to the longitudinal axes. Further, the projection abuts with a bevel against a tongue, wherein the tongue is raised and thereby also raises the holding element, so that it is deformed over the projection of the plug housing. Thus, the projection can be passed under the retaining element until the retaining element latched behind the projection and holds the connector housing in the receiving space. To release a rocker is provided on the connector housing, which is actuated from the outside, and by means of which the holding element can be raised again over the projection, so that the connector housing can be pulled under the holding element through from the receiving space.

In the EP 0 896 396 A2 a connector is described which includes a socket and a plug. The socket has a female connector housing and a receiving space enclosed by a wall. This is open to an end face of the socket housing and closed at its end remote from it by a bottom. The socket has a first longitudinal axis which defines a connection direction. The socket housing first contacts are assigned. These are aligned parallel to the first longitudinal axis and project from the ground into the receiving space. On the outer surface of the receiving space enclosing wall a locking lug is arranged projecting. The plug is associated with an elastically deflectable locking arm which can be locked by a slider when it is in the locking position, thereby preventing a deflection of the locking arm from the relaxed position. The slide are associated with compression springs, which are connected at their not supported on the slider end together via a crossbar. The locking arm has an inclined surface which runs when inserting the plug into the socket against the locking lug. The slider is in a position in which its locking surface is not in contact with the locking arm. For this purpose, the locking arm is held over retaining means in a temporary position. If the plug is inserted into the socket, then not only the locking arm with its hook-like projection against the locking lug, but also the traverse, which connects the two compression springs together, comes to rest against the end face of the socket. If the plug continues to be inserted, the springs are pretensioned. The hook-shaped locking element of the locking arm slides over the latching lug. Here, the locking arm has reached a position in which its locking surface can engage behind the locking lug. In this case, the springs are released in their effect, ie, the holding means release the slider, so that it is moved away from the locking lug due to the action of the springs, whereby the locking surface of the slider passes over the locking arm and secures it in its engaged position against deflection , there Also, the holding means are returned to their original position, so that the springs are relieved again. To release the slider must be moved opposite to the release direction of the plug to the socket so that the locking arm is released. So that a sufficiently large contact surface for the support of the compression springs is provided, ribs are provided on the socket housing, which are arranged in extension of the course of the compression springs, ie extend parallel to each other in the connecting direction and go out from the end face of the socket and reach up to the latch ,

For releasing the slider is first moved so far in the direction of the socket, that the locking arm is released. The compression springs are partially biased and the holding means set the slide in this position. In this position, an unlocking portion of the slider can be acted upon, i. pressed on this, this section acts on an underlying projection of the locking arm. Since the locking arm is hung rocker-like, so that the hook-like projection is moved out of engagement with the latch on the socket. If now pulled on the plug, it can be separated from the socket. The handling is cumbersome and requires, in particular, when safe operation is required, additional measures in the form of the ribs on the socket to achieve a secure support for the compression springs that act on the slide. Furthermore, the handling is unfavorable in that when releasing the connector, i. the plug from the socket of the slide initially against the release direction must be moved to transfer the lock into a position in which the associated actuating portion of a force on the locking arm in the sense of releasing the same from the detent of the socket is possible. At the same time must then be pulled on the plug to release it from the socket.

The DE 198 28 968 A1 relates to a connector with a socket and a plug, wherein the socket is associated with a biattfederartiges holding element, which also serves as a shorting bridge for the contacts of the socket. The holding member has two locking legs, each contact with a projection of the plug in contact and undergo a deformation during connection, so that the Each projection can run over a bend in the locking leg and then allow a further rebound, so that the plug is secured in the socket. Furthermore, two in the unconnected state of the plug and socket with the contacts of the socket in contact passing leg contact are present, which are part of the holding element, which is made of metal and thus is electrically conductive. In the unconnected state so a short-circuit contact is made between the contacts on the contact legs. These are brought when inserting the plug out of contact with the contacts of the socket.

In the DE 100 52 970 A1 is a connector comprising a socket and a plug, described, wherein the plug is associated with a slider which is integrally formed with a compression spring and is initially biased during connection and generates a Ausschiebekraft, as long as the final connection state is not reached. This slider also serves as a holding element in the connected state. The designed as a compression spring resilient portion comprises a serpentine curved leaf spring-like portion.

The EP 1 089 393 A1 comprises a socket with a wall enclosed by a receiving space into which a plug can be inserted. In order to achieve a watertight arrangement, the plug on the entering into the receiving space of the socket has a seal which comes into contact with the inner surface of the receiving space. The portion of the plug, which enters the receiving space of the socket, is formed with respect to the recessed portion of the plug tapered cross-sectionally.

The invention has for its object to provide a connector for a conventional socket, i. such, in which only one locking lug is provided to propose, which is easy to handle and as long as no final connection has been achieved, causes a force that dissolves the plug from the socket.

This object is achieved in that the connector housing has an elastically deflectable locking arm with locking means, which when connected to the socket housing facing a detent which is projecting on an outer surface of the receiving space enclosing wall, that a slide is provided which is limited adjustably held on the plug housing entiang the second longitudinal axis between a release position and a locking position and prevents in the locking position, a deflection of the locking arm, in that at least one pressure spring is provided, which is supported on the one hand on the plug housing and on the other hand on the slide and the slide acted upon to take its locking position, and in that each attachment portion of the holding element engages in a separate receiving bore of the slide and the receiving holes perpendicular to the second longitudinal axis and parallel to each other staggered.

An advantage of this design is that the plug can be used in conjunction with conventional sockets, which have only one latch, so that it is gewährieistet without modification to the same that the plug is disconnected from the socket, as long as no final locking position has been reached. Furthermore, the handling is simplified in that only acts on the connector housing when connecting, by this relative to the socket housing, that is moved to the bottom thereof. The release of the slide for the final securing of the locking arm is done automatically depending on the position of the plug housing to the socket housing by the leaf spring-like retaining element out of operative engagement with the end face of the socket housing and thus the force of effective between the plug housing and the slide springs is released. The slider is displaced relative to the receptacle housing and the connector housing so that the locking arm is secured against displacement into the unlocked position. This position can be reversed simply by acting on the slider only in the release direction for the release of the plug from the socket. Furthermore, it is of significant advantage that the holding element is a separate, ie separated from the slide member, which is made of a material which is subjected to virtually no wear or settling. By Gestaitung of the holding element in conjunction with the inclusion of the mounting portions in offset mounting holes of the slide a compact design is achieved because the attachment of the retaining element on the slider only has a small footprint and can be conveniently used to provide the necessary travel.

Preferably, it is provided that the spring legs connect to the connecting portion with a turn so that each spring leg leaves the connecting portion crossing. Favorable mounting conditions are generated in that the spring legs, starting from the connecting portion extend so that the mounting portions are offset from each other in parallel. Preferably, the retaining element consists of a round wire. Conveniently, it is made of a stainless steel.

Since the steel support member is elastically deflected from its normal position in the final locked state of the plug with the socket, that is, as long as the socket and the plug are connected to each other, it is favorable if it is made of a stainless steel.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown schematically in the drawing.

Figur 1

eine perspektivische Darstellung der Steckbuchse,

Figur 2

eine perspektivische Darstellung des Steckers und der Steckbuchse vor dem Verbinden,

Figur 3

eine perspektivische Darstellung der Steckbuchse mit dem Stecker im teilweise verbundenen Zustand,

Figur 4

eine perspektivische Darstellung des Steckers mit der Steckbuchse im vollständig verbundenen Zustand und

Figur 5

eine perspektivische Ansicht des Halteelements.

It shows

FIG. 1

a perspective view of the socket,

FIG. 2

a perspective view of the plug and the socket before connecting,

FIG. 3

a perspective view of the socket with the plug in the partially connected state,

FIG. 4

a perspective view of the plug with the socket in the fully connected state and

FIG. 5

a perspective view of the retaining element.

In FIG. 1 is a conventional socket 1 shown. The socket 1 comprises a socket housing 2, which has a first longitudinal axis 3. It also has a wall 4, which encloses a roughly rounded rectangular receiving space 5 in the opening cross-section. This is open to the end face 6 and closed at the opposite end by the bottom 8. The end face 6 is preferably provided with a chamfer to the receiving space 5 out. From the bottom 8 are first terminal contacts 7 in the form of pins. They are aligned parallel to the first longitudinal axis 3. On an outer surface 9 of the wall 4, a latching lug 10 is arranged, which has an oblique contact surface 11 in the direction of the end face 6, the end facing away from the end face 6 in the direction of the bottom 8 from the outer surface 9, ie rising, runs. This is followed by a latching surface 12, which extends in the direction of the outer surface 9, that is preferably perpendicular to this extends or optionally even has an undercut.

In FIG. 2 is shown separately from the socket 1 of the plug 13 with the connector housing 14. The plug housing 14 has the second longitudinal axis 15. It has a first housing section 16, which in connection with the socket 1 in the receiving space 5 according to FIG. 1 entry. In this case, the first longitudinal axis 3 and the second longitudinal axis 15 are aligned with each other. The first housing portion 16 extends from an end face 17 in which there are openings communicating with contact receiving chambers in which second contacts in the form of female terminals are received and secured by a locking member 18.

With the interposition of a reduced in cross section seat portion for a seal of an intermediate portion 19, a second housing portion 20 connects to the first housing portion 16. The cross section of the first housing portion 16 is substantially adapted to that of the receiving space 5 of the female connector housing 2 of the socket 1, that is, it approaches a rounded rectangle. On a wide surface of the plug housing 14, a locking arm 21 is arranged, which is designed like a frame and two longitudinal struts 22 which are arranged at a parallel distance from one another and with one end away from the end face 17, integrally formed with the plug housing 14. The endface 17 near ends of the two longitudinal struts 22 are interconnected by a transverse locking strut 23 as a locking means, which is engageable for locking with the locking lug 10 of the socket 1 in engagement.

In the region of the locking strut 23 near the end of the longitudinal struts 22 bolt lugs 24 are attached. In the region opposite thereto, at least one release surface 25 is arranged adjacent to the longitudinal struts 22 and moves away from the second longitudinal axis 15 away from the end surface 17. Further, in this area, two first spring support bearings 26 are arranged laterally to the longitudinal struts 22 of the locking arm 21, which serve to support the compression springs 27 at one end. The locking strut 23 has on its underside away from the first spring support bearings 26 away from the second longitudinal axis 15 footprint 28.

The connector housing 14 is surrounded by a tubular slider 29. This has in its interior to an end face toward two second spring support bearings 30, against which the compression springs 27 are supported with its other end. In the second spring support bearings 30 opposite surface a not shown adjusting recess is present, which cooperates in the mounted state of the slider 29 on the connector housing 14 with a not shown movement stop of the plug housing 14 and limits the movement of the slider 29 to the connector housing 14 along the second longitudinal axis 15. Furthermore, bolt stops 33, not shown, are provided on the slide 29, which in the finally connected state of the socket 1 with the plug 13 secure the locking arm 21 on the socket housing 2 against displacement, i. facing the bolt lugs 26.

The slider 29 are assigned to the second spring support bearing 30 having two end release projections 31 which serve to release the locking arm 21 when releasing the plug 13 from the socket 1. The locking arm 21 is elastically deformed when pulling on the slide 29 in the release direction from its relaxed position of the second longitudinal axis 15 and moves to the locking projection 10 of the socket 1, before the connector housing 14 can be pulled out of the socket housing 2. Further, the slider 29 has a neck 32 with two transversely to the second longitudinal axis 15 extending and mutually parallel offset receiving bores 33, 34.

The slider 29 is a holding member 35, as in FIG. 5 is shown assigned. The holding element 35 consists of a round wire made of stainless steel.

From a connecting portion 36 are two spring legs 37 across. They connect to the ends of the connecting portion 36 with a winding 38 so that they leave the connecting portion 36 across. At the ends of each spring leg 37 remote from the connecting portion 36 there is an adjoining fastening portion 39 in each case. The fixing portions 39 are parallel to the connecting portion 36 and toward each other. The attachment portions 39 are parallel to each other. The attachment portions 39 are in the in FIG. 2 apparent and mutually offset receiving bores 33, 34 of the projection 34 of the slider 29 was added. As a result, a counter-torque is generated when a pivoting movement is initiated in the area of the turns 38 or of the connecting section 36.

The compression springs 27 act on the slide 29 to take the in FIG. 2 drawn position on the connector housing 14. The first housing portion 16 is inserted into the receiving space 5 of the female housing 2, wherein the first longitudinal axis 3 and the second longitudinal axis 15 are aligned with each other. In this case, the holding element 35 comes with the turns 40 and the connecting portion 36 against the end face 6 and against the receiving space 5 of the socket 1 subsequent chamfer to the plant. The holding element 35 is in the relaxed state. If the socket 1 and the plug 14 continue to move in the connecting direction (see FIG. 3 ), the slider 29 remains to the socket 1 at rest, while the first housing portion 16 is moved deeper into the receiving space 5. In this case, the locking arm 21 is released and can slide away with its locking strut 23 on the contact surface 11 of the locking lug 10 with simultaneous elastic deformation and sit behind the locking surface 12.

The plug socket 1 facing end face of the slider 29 is not more in a plane with the end surface 17 of the housing portion 16 but already close to the locking strut 23rd

In this movement, the first contact 7 was moved deeper into the first housing portion 16 of the plug housing 14 under the turns 38 and the connecting portion 37 of the holding member 35 so that at the same time or further insertion of the plug housing 14 into the receiving space 5 and approaching the end face 17 to the bottom 8 of the socket 1, the holding element 35 is deflected, so that its turns 40 out of contact with the end face 6 of the socket 1 arrive. The biased upon insertion of the plug housing 14 in the socket 1 compression springs 27 can be effective and adjust the slider 29 relative to the plug housing 14 toward the bottom 8, wherein the holding member 35 slides on the outer surface 9 of the socket 1. In this position, the compression springs 27 are relaxed and the slide 30 takes in relation to the connector housing 14 in Figures 2 and 4 drawn position again, in which the locking arm 21 is secured against displacement from the second longitudinal axis 15 away.

The movement of the holding element 35 in the relaxed state can be limited by a stop on the projection 32 of the slider 29.

To release the plug 13 from the socket 1, the slider 29 is moved away from the bottom 8, whereby the release projections 31 reach under the shelves 28 of the locking arm 21 and the locking arm 21 out of engagement with the locking lug 10 lift.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

receptacle

2

Jack housing

3

first longitudinal axis

4

wall

5

accommodation space

6

face

7

first contact

8th

ground

9

outer surface

10

locking lug

11

approach surface

12

Rest area

13

plug

14

plug housing

15

second longitudinal axis

16

first housing section

17

end face

18

blocking element

19

intermediate section

20

second housing section

21

locking arm

22

longitudinal strut

23

Rest strut

24

Riegel approaches

25

release sheet

26

Spring support bearing

27

compression spring

28

footprint

29

pusher

30

second spring support bearing

31

release projection

32

approach

33

location hole

34

location hole

35

retaining element

36

connecting portion

37

spring leg

38

convolution

39

attachment section

Claims (4)

1. Male connector (13) for connecting to
   a female connector (1),
   having a female connector housing (2) with a first longitudinal axis (3) and an accommodation chamber (5) enclosed by a wall (4), which is open towards an end face (6) of the female connector housing (2) and is closed by a bottom (8) at an end distanced thereto, to which first contacts (7) are arranged, which project into the accommodation chamber (5) from the bottom (8) parallel to the first longitudinal axis (3), comprising

   - a male connector housing (14),
   which has a second longitudinal axis (15),
   which has a first housing portion (16), insertable into the accommodation chamber (5), when the longitudinal axes (3, 15) are aligned to each other, with an end face (17), from which second contacts, fitting to the first contacts (7) are accessible for the electrical connection to these, as well as

   - an elastic retaining element (35),
   which is formed from a steel wire,
   which has two spring legs (37), projecting with a distance from a connection portion (36), and respectively, an attachment portion (39) following in an angled manner,

   characterised in
   that the male connector housing (14) has an elastically deflectable locking arm (21) with locking means (23), which are arranged opposed to a locking projection (1), which is arranged projectingly on an outer face (9) of the wall (4) enclosing the accommodation chamber (5), when connecting to the female connector housing,
   that a slider (29) is provided, which is held displaceably in a limited manner on the male connector housing (14) along the second longitudinal axis (15) between a disengaging position and a locking position and prevents in the locking position a deflection of the locking arm (21),
   that at least one compression spring (27) is provided, which is supported on the male connector housing (14) and on the slider (29) and acts onto the slider (29) to take up its locking position, and
   that each attachment portion (39) of the retaining element (35) engages in a separate accommodation bore (33, 34) of the slider (29) and that the accommodation bores (33, 34) extend at a right angle to the second longitudinal axis (15) and off-set parallel to each other.
2. Male connector according to claim 1,
   characterised in
   that the spring legs (37) are attached to the connection portion (36) with a winding (38) such, that each spring leg (37) leaves the connection portion (36) crossing this.
3. Male connector according to claim 1,
   characterised in
   that the spring legs (37) extend, starting from the connection portion (36), such, that the attachment portions (39) are off-set parallel to each other.
4. Male connector according to claim 1,
   characterised in
   that the retaining element (35) is made from a round wire.

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