EP1869731B1 - Locking of a detent element using a socket - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a socket element comprising a detent element that locks with a connector element. Said socket element comprises a socket body with an outer connector receiving chamber. A contact socket that is located in the outer connector receiving chamber holds the detent element in the connector receiving chamber.

Description

The invention relates to a plug connection with a plug and a socket, wherein the plug is latched in the inserted state with the socket. For this purpose, a catch is attached to the circumference of the plug or the socket. The latching can be solved preferably by using a tool and the socket and the plug can then be separated. When latching there is a risk of destruction under mechanical stress, especially in the context of low temperatures.

In the US Pat. No. 4,653,842 is a socket element disclosed in which a latching element is formed on a contact body, which can undergo a latching with a plug-in element. The contact body is inserted into a pin chamber and has two tongue-shaped contact elements whose free ends press with a predetermined pressure force against a conical surface of the contact pin. The reeds are biased axially upwards due to their inherent spring characteristic, so that the top of the flange forming the bearing for the holders 13 is pressed against the free ends of the contact pin holders.

US2003 / 096526 discloses the preamble of claim 1.

The object of the present invention has been made to provide a tool-free release of the connector and a non-destructive function, preferably in cold and additional mechanical stress, and also a tolerance recording function to provide.

According to the invention, this is done by a socket element according to claim 1 and a contact connection according to claim 13, wherein preferred embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent of claim 1 and 13 claims.

Further advantages, objects and details of the invention are described below with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 1

zeigt einen schematischen Schnitt durch ein Buchsenelement im nichtzusammengebauten Zustand;

Fig. 2

zeigt einen schematischen Schnitt durch ein Buchsenelement im zusammengebauten Zustand und ein Steckelement;

Fig. 3

zeigt einen schematischen Schnitt des Buchsenelements und des Steckelements gemäß Fig. 2 in eingesteckter und verrasteter Position;

Fig. 4

zeigt einen schematischen Schnitt durch eine Steckverbindung mit Kontaktverbindungen gemäß Fig. 3;

Fig. 5

zeigt einen schematischen Schnitt durch ein Rastelement;

Fig. 6a-6d

zeigen schematische Ansichten verschiedener Ausführungsbeispiele des Rastelements;

Fig. 7a-7c

zeigen verschiedene Ausführungsbeispiele des Steckelements.

Brief description of the drawings:

Fig. 1

shows a schematic section through a female member in the unassembled state;

Fig. 2

shows a schematic section through a female member in the assembled state and a plug-in element;

Fig. 3

shows a schematic section of the female member and the male member according to Fig. 2 in inserted and locked position;

Fig. 4

shows a schematic section through a connector with contact connections according to Fig. 3 ;

Fig. 5

shows a schematic section through a locking element;

Fig. 6a-6d

show schematic views of various embodiments of the locking element;

Fig. 7a-7c

show various embodiments of the plug-in element.

In FIG. 1 a female member 21 is shown prior to assembly. In FIG. 2 is the socket member 21 assembled, shown, further, a plug-in element 22 can be seen. The female member 21 and the male member 22 form a contact connection 20. The contact connection 20 is in FIG. 2 in a separate or uninflated position and in FIG. 3 shown in inserted and latched arrangement.

The embodiment of the invention will be described below with reference to the Figures 1-3 described in more detail.

The female member 21 has a female body 24. The socket body 24 has a preferably circular cylindrical plug receiving space 25 and a conductor receiving space 30. The plug receiving space 25 has an inner plug receiving space 26 and an outer plug receiving space 27. The inner connector accommodating space 26 has a smaller diameter than the outer connector accommodating space 27. The outer connector accommodating space 27 thus has a larger diameter than the inner connector accommodating space 26. At the transition from the outer larger diameter connector receiving space 26 to the smaller diameter inner connector accommodating space 26 is a Stop 28 is formed. The stopper 28 is preferably formed by the reduction of the diameter. On the outer circumference of the socket body 24 latching means 29 are arranged. The latching means 29 are preferably arranged on the outside of the socket body 24 in the region of the stop 28 arranged internally in the socket body 24. The conductor receiving space 30 serves to receive a conductor with which the socket element 21 can be connected to a circuit.

In the outer connector receiving space 27, a latching element 32 is then provided to the stop 28. At the locking element 32 closes, on the opposite side of the stop 28, preferably a gap 35 at. Subsequent to the preferably existing gap 35, located in the outer plug receiving space 27, a contact socket 34. The contact socket 34 closes outwardly with the socket body 24, preferably flush. The contact socket 34 is connected in an electrically conductive manner to the socket body 24 of the socket element 21. As a result, an electrically conductive connection is made from the contact socket 34 to the conductor arranged in the conductor receiving space 30. The contact socket 34 is in the outer connector receiving space 27, preferably by pressing, attached. The attachment can also be performed by soldering, gluing or other suitable fastening.

The intermediate space 35 serves to accommodate tolerances, so that it is ensured that the latching element 32 still has enough play when the socket element 21 is assembled. Preferably, the outer diameter of the locking element 32 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the outer connector receiving space 27. When assembling the female member 21, the locking element 32 can thereby be easily introduced into the outer connector receiving space 27.

The bushing body 24 is preferably a rotary member of cylindrical shape, in particular also a cylindrical plug receiving space 25 and a cylindrical conductor receiving space 30. The contact bushing 34 is preferably a cylindrical RADSOK bushing. In this case, located in the interior of the contact socket 34 individual contact surfaces 37 cylindrical contact surface means 36th

The locking element 32 is preferably a disc of thermoplastic material, in particular plastic material. The locking element 32 may also be made of bent wire or a suitably slotted metal disc be prepared. The latching element 32 has a recess 38, preferably a hole 38, on.

In FIG. 5 is a section through the locking element 32 is shown. A plan view of the locking element 32 is in the FIGS. 6a-d shown. It shows FIG. 6a a locking element 32 with a circular receiving opening. In FIG. 6b the locking element 32 is shown with an elliptically shaped receiving opening. FIG. 6c shows the locking element 32 with additional outgoing from the receiving opening incisions, which facilitate the latching or unlatching. In FIG. 6d a locking element 32 formed from spring wire is shown. Other embodiments for the locking element 32 are also possible.

The socket element 21 forms a contact connection 20 together with a plug-in element 22.

The plug-in element 22 has a contact pin 40 and a connection part 41. The connection part 41 has a conductor accommodating space. The plug-in element 22 has fastening means 42 arranged between the contact pin 40 and the connection part 41. The plug-in element 22 is preferably designed as a cylindrical rotary part. Subsequent to the fastening means 42, the contact pin 40 has a first section 44, with a first diameter D1. The first section 44 is followed by a second section 45 with a second diameter D2. The second diameter D2 is smaller than the first diameter D1. The second section 45 is followed by a third section 46. Subsequent to the second section 45, the third section 46 has locking means 47. The third section 46 points towards the second section 45, a diameter which is larger than the first diameter D1 but smaller or at most equal to the first diameter D1. With increasing distance from the second portion 45 and the locking means 47, the diameter of the third portion 46 decreases, ie, the third portion 46 is conical. The surface of the first portion 44 forms a contact surface 43 of the contact pin 40.

In the inserted state of the contact connection 20 comes the contact surface in the inserted state of the contact connection 20, the contact surface 43 comes into contact with the contact surface means 36 and establishes an electrical connection between the female member 21 and the male member 22 ago. In the inserted latched position, as in FIG. 3 When the plug element 22 is inserted into the socket element 21, the conical section 46 expands the cutout 38 of the latching element 32 (or bends the preferably spring wire of the latching element) 32) in such a way that the third portion 46 including the locking means 47 can be pushed through the locking element 32. When unplugging or pulling the plug element 22, from the latched position, the transition from the second section 45 to the third section 46 expands the recess 38 in the latching element 32, and the contact connection 22 can be solved. The plugging and pulling force of the contact connection 20 can be set in a relatively simple manner via the bevelling angles of the third section 46 and the transition from the second section 45 to the third section 46.

In Figure 7a is the transition from the second section 45 to the third section 46, that is, the locking means 47 designed as an edge. Compared to the embodiment described later, a relatively high pulling force is required.

In FIG. 7b the latching means 47 is formed by an oblique edge as a transition from the second section 45 to the third section 46. This is compared to Figure 7a a lower pulling force needed.

In FIG. 7c the conical section 46 is formed at a steeper angle. This facilitates insertion of the plug element 22 into the socket element 21, but a higher force is required for latching. The transition from the second section 45 to the third section 46 is formed here with radii. The pulling force is thereby the steepest increase, ie the strongest increase in the diameter of the male member 22 is substantially determined.

The locking element 32 is disposed in the outer connector receiving space 27 between the stop 28 and the contact socket 34.

In the inserted locked state, the third section 46 of the contact pin 40 extends into the inner plug receiving space 26.

The latching of the contact connection takes place in the region of the second section 45 and the third section 46 of the contact pin 40. The first section 44, and thus the contact surface 43, is not involved in the latching process. As a result, the surface of the first portion 44 or the contact surface 43 is not damaged even with multiple plugs. Since the diameter of the third portion 46 is at most as large as the diameter D1 of the first portion 44 and the contact socket 34 is not damaged during the insertion process. The contact connection 20 thus has an inner latching contour, which can be solved without tools and at the same time allows the use of an existing socket contact, in particular an existing high-current, or RADSOK contact. The contact connection 20 allows a tool-free release of the connector in connection with minimal mechanical wear on the contact parts in particular the contact surface 43 of the plug element 22. Furthermore, the contact connection 20 has only a very small footprint.

FIG. 4 shows a plug connection 100. The connector 100 consists of a socket 101 and a plug 102. The socket 101 has two socket elements 21 which are arranged in a Buchsenisolierkörper 103. The plug 102 has two plug-in elements 22, which are arranged in a Steckerisolierkörper 104. The connector 100 is in FIG. 4 shown in a mated and latched position. The locking takes place by the, according to the FIGS. 1 to 3 , described embodiment of the socket elements 21 and plug-in elements 22. It is no outside, on the insulator attached latching means necessary, ie there are no problems that external latching hooks could break off in cold or additional mechanical stress.

By using the described contact connection 20 can be a connector 100, with extremely compact design, produce.

The contact bush 34 has at its inner end a recess 50 and at its outer end a recess 51.

The socket body 24 and the plug-in element 22 are preferably formed in one piece. The socket body 24 and the plug element 22 are preferably formed as a rotating part. However, other training such as by casting, or the combination of several sections are also possible.

The socket body 24 and the plug-in element 22 are made of electrically conductive material, preferably of metal.

Preferably, the latching between the socket element 21 and the plug-in element 22 in the region of the front, ie the plug-side end of the plug element 22 is provided. An arrangement wherein the detent element is provided closer to the attachment means 42 and the detent element 32 is located in the connector receiving space 25 on the plug side in front of the socket body 24 and is held by a separate element in the connector receiving space 25 is also possible.

Reference numeral list

20

Contact connection

21

female member

22

plug-in element

24

bush body

25

Plug receiving cavity

26

inner connector receiving space with smaller diameter

27

outer connector receiving space with larger diameter

28

Stop (formed between 26 and 27)

29

latching means

30

Connecting capacity

32

Locking element (plastic or metal disc, bent metal or spring wire)

34

Contact socket; preferably RADSOK socket

35

gap

36

cylindrical contact surface means

37

single contact surface

38

Recess or hole in the locking element 32nd

40

pin

41

Connecting part (with ladder receiving space)

42

fastener

43

contact area

44

first section; D1 first diameter

45

second part; D2 second diameter

46

third section (tapered)

47

latching means

50

Recess on RADSOK contact socket

51

Recess on RADSOK contact socket

100

connector

101

Rifle

102

plug

103

Buchsenisolierkörper

104

Steckerisolierkörper

Claims (15)

1. A socket element (21), comprising a detent element (32) for detent/locking- action with a plug element (22),
   said socket element (21) comprising a socket body (24), said socket body (24) having an outer plug receiving space (27), and an inner plug receiving space (26), separated from said outer plug receiving space (27) by an abutment (28), wherein in said outer plug receiving space (26) a contact socket (34) is provided and the detent element (32) is held between said abutment (28) and the contact socket (34) in said outer plug receiving space (27);
   characterized in that
   a space (35) is provided on the side of the detent element, which is opposite to the abutment (28).
2. A socket element (21) as set forth in claim 1, wherein the socket body (24) is of a single piece design.
3. A socket element (21) as set forth in one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the detent element (32) is made of thermoplastic material.
4. A socket element (21) as set forth in one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the detent element (32) is made of a bend wire.
5. A socket element (21) as set forth in one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the detent element (32) is made of metall.
6. A socket element (21) as set forth in one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the detent element (32) is disc shaped and comprises, preferably in the middle an opening (38).
7. A socket element (21) as set forth in one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the socket body (24) is electrically conductive.
8. A socket element (21) as set forth in one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the socket body (24) is made of metal.
9. A socket element (21) as set forth in one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the contact socket (34) is a high current socket.
10. A socket element (21) as set forth in one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said contact socket (34) is pressed into said outer plug receiving space (27).
11. A socket element (21) as set forth in one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the contact socket (34) is soldered into the outer plug receiving space (27).
12. A socket element (21) as set forth in one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the outer plug receiving space (27) comprises a cylindrical inner contour and the contact socket (34) comprises a cylindrical outer contour.
13. A contact connection (20) comprising a socket element (21) according to one or more of claims 1 to 12 and a plug element (22), said plug element (22) comprising:

    a contact pin (40) and a connecting portion (41) and mounting means (42),

    wherein the contact pin (40) comprises a first section (44) having a first diameter D1, a second section (45) having a second diameter D1, and a third section (46),

    wherein the second diameter is smaller than the first diameter, and

    wherein between the third section (46) and the second section (45) detent means (47) are provided and wherein the third section (46) wherein between the third section (46) and the second section (45) detent means (47) are provided and wherein the third section (46) comprises towards the second section (45) a diameter which is larger than the second diameter D2, said diameter being at maximum as large as the first diameter D1, and

    wherein the diameter of the third section (46) is getting smaller with increasing distance from the second section (45), i.e. its diameter follows a cone; and

    wherein the second section (45) is adapted to receive and come into locking engagement with a detent element (32).
14. A socket side-connector (101) or socket (101) having a socket insulating body (103) in which at least one socket element (21) according to one or more of claims 1 to 12 is arranged.
15. A plug connection (100) comprising a socket side connector (101) in accordance with claim 14 and a plug side connector (102) with a plug isolating body (104) within which at least one plug element (22) in accordance with claim 13 is provided.

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