EP1883137A2 - Terminal block for use in a connector part - Google Patents

Abstract

The part (1) has a connection contact unit held by a connection housing, where each unit has an insulation displacement contact or a piercing contact for contacting electrical conductor. Each insulation displacement/piercing contact is electrically connectable to corresponding contacts of a corresponding counter piece. The housing has two housing parts which has the unit introduced from interior of the housing. An independent claim is also included for a method for manufacturing a plug-and-socket connection part of a plug-and-socket connection for data communication.

Description

The present invention relates to a connector for data transmission cable having a plurality of electrical conductors, which are twisted in pairs, for example. In particular, the invention relates to a connector according to an international standard, for example the standard IEC 60603-7 (called RJ45 for short) or IEC 61076-2-xx (circular connector for the low-voltage range, representative of this: M12).

Data transmission systems having a plurality of electrical conductors, in particular of the twisted-pair type, are still increasing in importance. Especially in the office sector, the structured building cabling has great success. This is based among other things on standardized connectors.

The increasing digitization in all areas of daily life means that also originally designed for the telecommunications and office area connectors, for example, the type RJ45, increasingly used in other applications. The great success of the structured building cabling in the office area should also be used in other areas of application. In particular, the industrial, the building automation and the audio area should be mentioned.

These new applications have brought new demands on the product. Two new requirements for an RJ45 plug in these areas are, for example, the field connectivity without special tools or the use of different, more stable cables (conductor diameter, structure, size, etc.) than are customary in the office sector. At the same time, these connectors should be very compact, so they remain compatible with existing devices.

In order to ensure sufficient Beschaltungskomfort and a wide range of applications, the known and often used insulation displacement technology is particularly well suited as a connection technique. In this connection technique, insulation displacement contacts (IDCs) are used. Terminal blocks with IDCs have long been known, for example from the EP 0 671 780 , However, these known IDC blocks do not meet the compactness requirements.

From existing RJ45 plug systems forth connection techniques are known which have IDCs in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the plug. The connecting conductors are introduced in these plug-in systems by a movement in the axial direction in the IDCs, ie in the plugging direction of the RJ45 plug. Normally, a Beschaltungsstück is used, in which the conductors are inserted in advance and which is moved for contacting in the axial direction relative to the connector housing. Such a connector usually has a central hole through which the cable is made. Afterwards, the conductors are held angled radially to the cable direction in the wiring piece and presented for contacting with the IDCs (see, for example, US Pat EP 0 899 827 . DE 102 58 725 . US 6,752,647 ). Although these connection techniques have the potential to meet the requirements in terms of their size, their handling and stability are not suitable for covering the entire cable cross-sectional area required in the new fields of application.

It would therefore be desirable to have available a connector part which, similar to the original IDCs, is connected radially, but can be made more space-saving by double-sided wiring. Such a solution with a one-piece circuit block is made EP 991 149 known. A disadvantage of such a one-piece circuit block is that the necessary Einzelleiterhalterungen must be interrupted or weakened in the IDC chambers, so that the IDCs in the preparation of the terminal block in designated chambers are ever used. This has the consequence that either a clean Einzelelleiterzugentlastung is no longer guaranteed or for a sufficiently large wall thickness of the distance between the individual conductors (also called cable wires or stranded wire or wires called) must be so large that the terminal block to the requirements initially the dimensioning is no longer fair.

The object of the invention is to provide a plug connector part (ie, in general, a plug or a socket) for an electrical data transmission cable, which, for example, based on the insulation displacement technology and overcomes disadvantages of connector parts according to the prior art. The connector part should be suitable in particular for connectors of the standard RJ45 and preferably also M12 and possibly other standards, the use with different, more stable cables than in the office usual (conductor diameter, etc.) and / or enable the Beschaltbarkeit in the field without special tools and / or be very compact to stay compatible with existing devices.

Specifically, the invention relates to a plug connection part for a data transmission cable having a plurality of electrical conductors, comprising a connection housing and per electrical conductor a connection contact element held by the connection housing, each having a cutting terminal or a piercing contact for contacting the electrical conductor, and one contact each for contacting from corresponding contacts of a corresponding counterpart to the connector part. Each insulation displacement terminal or each piercing contact can be electrically connected to one of the contacts. The invention is characterized essentially by the fact that the terminal housing is formed so that the terminal contact elements are not inserted from the outside into the terminal housing, whereas generally in the wiring, the conductors are supplied to the housing from the outside.

Because there is no need to insert external contact elements, it is not necessary to weaken the single conductor support to make room for inserting the insulation displacement terminals from the outside. It can be accomplished a mechanically stable Einzelleiterhalterung without too much space would be claimed. The connection housing may, for example, have a transverse web which runs in the radial direction outside the connection contact elements and longitudinal webs, between which the isolated conductors are introduced upon contacting, mechanically stabilized. The chambers for the example. Used insulation displacement terminals can be formed according to the needs.

In addition, cutting clamps with a relatively large cutting width can be used. This allows a given terminal block for different conductors Diameter can be used.

According to a first preferred embodiment, the terminal block or Piercing- having terminal block is at least two parts. Both parts have several connection contact elements, each with a cutting clamp. The bipartite allows that the terminal contact elements extend in sections between the housing parts and in the manufacture of the connector part from an inner side into terminal housing parts can be inserted.

Between the mentioned terminal housing parts, an electrically insulating release film may be arranged, which may extend along a (middle) level and the terminal contact elements of the two parts of the terminal block from each other electrically insulated. The aforementioned paired flat sections may be electrically isolated from each other by the release film. This allows the thickness of the capacitive coupling to be predetermined by the choice of material and the thickness of the release film.

Instead of a release film, the terminal block may also have spacers formed on the housing parts, which prevents electrical contact between terminal contact elements in the first and second housing parts.

The two housing parts may - but need not - be formed substantially identical. An identical shape can be advantageous in terms of manufacturing technology.

According to an alternative embodiment, the terminal housing is in one piece. The production is carried out by the connection contact elements, for example. By means of a specially designed tool positioned and then encapsulated with plastic, so that the housing is formed.

The procedure according to the invention makes it possible to effect a targeted NEXT (Near End Crosstalk) compensation between (terminal) contact elements carried by the first housing part and (terminal) contact elements carried by the second housing part. This can be done for example by means of compensation surfaces, which are formed on the (terminal) contact elements which are parallel to each other and at least partially overlap, so that they are capacitively coupled.

The insulation displacement terminals of the first and second parts of the terminal block are open in different directions, preferably in opposite directions ("one of the insulation displacement terminals looks up, the other one downwards"). These opening directions are not axial (with respect to the plug axis), i. they form an angle to the axis of the connector part (or of the cable). Preferably, the opening directions are perpendicular to a connector axis. It is then possible on both sides, radial wiring. An analogous structure with a radial wiring is also possible in the case of piercing contacts, i. the piercing tips protrude in different - preferably opposite - non-axial directions. In the case of the above-mentioned NEXT compensation, it is preferable to couple terminal contact elements with different - ie, for example, opposite - insulation piercing opening directions.

The wiring can be done with the help of one or two Beschaltungsdeckeln. In a first embodiment of the wiring cover the plug connection part (or its connection block) is provided with longitudinal webs, between which the conductors can be inserted. With the wiring cover the inserted between the longitudinal webs conductors can be inserted from outside to inside between the cutting surfaces of the respective insulation displacement terminal. For this purpose, the wiring covers in a conventional manner on Beschaltungsrippen. The wiring cover (s) is / are preferably removable in this embodiment. In this embodiment, therefore, the connector part itself has guide means (the longitudinal webs) for guiding the conductors, and the wiring cover serves to move the conductors within the guide means (the impressions in the grooves formed between the guide webs). Alternatively, the wiring cover can also have the guide means and guide the conductors during wiring. According to a first embodiment, two wiring covers are provided for this purpose, the guide means (for example, at the location of the Scheidklemm- or Piercingkontakte interrupted guide holes or insertion slots, ie open chambers) for the ladder. The wiring covers can according to a first variant be translatable for the wiring in translation to the plug axis in opposite directions. According to a second variant, they are pivotable and are pivoted for wiring to the connector axis. According to a second embodiment, a two-part wiring cover is provided, wherein between the two parts a hinge-like connection is present. The two wiring cover parts each have an open chamber in the manner of insertion slots. The conductors to be connected are first inserted into the insertion slots.
Subsequently, the wiring cover parts are optionally clipped onto the connector part or terminal block and tilted to each other.

According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the terminal block (comprising the terminal housing and the terminal contact elements and optionally the separating film) is formed as a separate component of a contact block. The contact block then contains contact elements on which the plug or socket contacts are formed. The terminal block and the contact block can, for example, be connected to one another by a plug connection. When the terminal block is brought into contact with the contact block, a respective terminal contact element is electrically connected to a contact element, for example directly via contact surfaces formed on the terminal contact elements and contact elements.

This embodiment makes it possible to use the same terminal block for plugs and sockets and / or for different connector standards. Only the contact block must be configured differently at plug / socket or at different connector standards. This embodiment thus brings advantages in terms of rationality and variability. In addition, it may not be necessary to reconnect if an already connected connector part is to be replaced by a connector part according to another standard.

The plug connection parts according to the invention are formed, for example, according to the RJ45 or M12 standard. The external dimensions - measured in a plane perpendicular to the axial direction - advantageously do not exceed 13 mm * 13 mm. Particularly preferred embodiments are those in which the connection block or the entire plug connection part does not exceed a diagonal dimension of 14.3 mm, ie in which the Terminal block or the entire connector part in a cylindrical tube with an inner diameter of 14.3 mm fits.

According to a preferred embodiment, the plug connection part has a coupling element which selectively selectively capacitively couples sections of parallel, selected conductors of a data transmission cable. Portions of "twisted pair" conductors extending parallel to one another or contact elements associated therewith, generate cross-talk from one pair to another. In two pairs which are guided in a plane next to each other, a conductor or contact element of the first pair is located directly next to a conductor or contact element of the second pair. Between these there is a preponderance of capacitive coupling (the inductive coupling also exists, but is not considered here).

The crosstalk resulting from this coupling can be influenced or compensated by various means. Methods are known that e.g. a contact element pair crossed in the half of the parallel extension direction or that are formed on individual contact elements compensation surfaces which produce an additional, targeted crosstalk between suitable contacts. These known possibilities limit the design freedom in the design of the contacts and make complex (and thus in many cases expensive) shapes of the contacts necessary.

The new method described here assumes that the coupling between not directly adjacent conductors or contact elements takes place with an additional component which is separated from the pair contacts by a dielectric (eg air or a foil). This additional coupling element includes two surfaces, which produces the desired coupling (here, for example, to 1b and 2b) and a connecting part which connects these two coupling surfaces. The connecting part has the smallest possible coupling to the intermediate contact element or conductor. This can be realized in that the connecting part has at least one recess, or that the distance to the intermediate contact element or conductor is greater than in the coupling surfaces. The coupling element may for example be hat-shaped or the intermediate Contact element or the intermediate conductor may be lowered.

The great advantage of this type of compensation is that the pair contacts and the coupling elements can be manufactured separately from each other and thus remain very simple and inexpensive (for example, on one level next to each other). The investment costs for this type of compensation can be kept relatively small due to the simple tools.

A coupling element of this type is used as mentioned in connector parts of the type described above. It is also useful with differently designed connector connection parts or in connection systems such as contact elements of connection and distribution strips.

• Zur-Verfügung-Stellen von zwei Gehäuseteilen eines Anschlussgehäuses; Einbringen von Anschlusskontaktelementen mit je einer Schneidklemme von einer ersten Seite der Gehäuseteile her in die Gehäuseteile, so, dass eine durch zwei Schneiden jeder Schneidklemme definierte Schneidklemmen-Öffnung von der ersten Seite weg in einen Einlegeschlitz hinein ragt, der auf einer der ersten Seite entgegengesetzten zweiten Seite der Gehäuseteile ausgebildet ist;
• Zusammenfügen (bspw. durch schweißen, kleben oder eine Schnappverbindung) der beiden Gehäuseteile, so, dass deren erste Seiten aneinander anschließen und in einem Inneren des Anschlussgehäuses zu liegen kommen und die zweiten Seiten Außenseiten des Anschlussgehäuses bilden.

The invention also relates to a terminal block for use in a connector part of the type described above and a method for producing a connector part. Such a method comprises for the embodiment with a two-part connection housing the steps:

• Providing two housing parts of a connection housing; Insertion of terminal contact elements, each with a cutting terminal from a first side of the housing parts ago in the housing parts, so that a defined by two cutting each IDC insulation displacement opening from the first side into an insertion slot protrudes, on one of the first side opposite second Side of the housing parts is formed;
• Assembly (eg by welding, gluing or a snap connection) of the two housing parts, such that their first sides adjoin one another and come to lie in an interior of the connection housing and the second sides form outer sides of the connection housing.

• Plazieren von Anschlusskontaktelementen mit je einer Schneidklemme oder einem Piercing- Kontakt, so, dass von durch zwei Schneiden jeder Schneidklemme definierte Schneidklemmen-Öffnungen bzw. Piercing- Spitzen der Piercing- Kontakte von in verschiedener Anschlusskontaktelemente in verschiedene radiale Richtungen ragen;
• Umspritzen oder Umgießen der Anschlusskontaktelemente, so, dass ein die Anschlusskontaktelemente haltendes Anschlussgehäuse entsteht.

For the embodiment with molded terminal housing, the method comprises the steps of:

• Placing terminal contact elements each having a cutting terminal or a piercing contact, so that of piercing tips defined by two cutting edges of each cutting terminal or Piercing- tips of different terminal contact elements in different radial directions protrude;
• Overmolding or encapsulation of the terminal contact elements, so that a terminal housing holding the terminal contact elements is formed.

• Fig. 1 eine Darstellung eines Steckers nach der RJ45-Norm, ausgestaltet gemäß der Erfindung
• Fig. 2 eine Darstellung des Steckers gemäß Figur 1 ohne Übergehäuse und Überwurfmutter
• Fig. 3 eine Darstellung des Steckers gemäß Figur 2, wobei hier das Schirmblech und das Steckergehäuse nicht dargestellt sind,
• Fig. 4 eine Explosionsdarstellung des Steckers gemäß Figur 1, aber ohne Anschlusskontaktelemente und Kontaktelemente, wobei die Kontaktaufnahme ins Stekkergehäuse eingeführt und in der Figur nicht sichtbar ist,
• Fig. 5 eine Darstellung des Anschlussblocks eines erfindungsgemäßen Steckverbindungsteils,
• Fig. 6 eine Darstellung des Anschlussblocks gemäß Fig. 5 ohne den oberen Teil des Anschlussgehäuses,
• Fig. 7 eine Darstellung gemäß Fig. 6, aber ohne obere Anschlusskontaktelemente und ohne Trennfolie,
• Fig. 8 eine Darstellung der Anschlusskontaktelemente, welche die relativen Positionen Kompensationsflächen der oberen und unteren Anschlusskontaktelemente sichtbar macht,
• Fig. 9 eine schematische Skizze, welche die Funktion der Kompensationsflächen illustriert,
• Fig. 10 eine Darstellung der Anschlusskontaktelemente und Kontaktelemente,
• Fig. 11a und 11b eine Schnittdarstellung eines Koppelelementes und von vier Kontaktelementen sowie eine Ansicht des Koppelelementes,
• Fig. 12 eine Schnittdarstellung einer Variante des Koppelelementes sowie der vier Kontaktelemente,
• Fig. 13 eine Schnittdarstellung einer weiteren Variante einer Anordnung eines Koppelelementes und von vier Kontaktelementen,
• Fig. 14 eine Ansicht noch einer Variante eines Koppelelementes,
• Fig. 15 eine Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Steckverbindungsteils mit einem zu den vorstehenden Ausführungsformen alternativen Beschaltungsmechanismus,
• Fig. 16 eine Ausführungsform mit einer Variante des Beschaltungsmechanismus von Figur 15,
• Fig. 17 und 18 verschiedene Darstellungen einer Ausführungsform mit einem weiteren alternativen Beschaltungsmechanismus.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail with reference to drawings. In the drawings show:

• Fig. 1 is an illustration of a connector according to the RJ45 standard, designed according to the invention
• Fig. 2 is an illustration of the connector according to Figure 1 without the housing and union nut
• 3 shows an illustration of the plug according to FIG. 2, the shielding plate and the plug housing not being shown here, FIG.
• 4 shows an exploded view of the plug according to FIG. 1, but without terminal contact elements and contact elements, the contact being introduced into the plug housing and not being visible in the figure, FIG.
• 5 shows an illustration of the connection block of a plug connection part according to the invention,
• 6 shows an illustration of the connection block according to FIG. 5 without the upper part of the connection housing, FIG.
• 7 shows a representation according to FIG. 6, but without upper connection contact elements and without separating film, FIG.
• 8 is an illustration of the terminal contact elements, which makes the relative positions of the compensation surfaces of the upper and lower terminal contact elements visible.
• 9 is a schematic sketch illustrating the function of the compensation surfaces,
• 10 is an illustration of the terminal contact elements and contact elements,
• 11a and 11b is a sectional view of a coupling element and four contact elements and a view of the coupling element,
• 12 is a sectional view of a variant of the coupling element and the four contact elements,
• 13 is a sectional view of another variant of an arrangement of a coupling element and four contact elements,
• 14 is a view of a variant of a coupling element,
• 15 shows an embodiment of a plug connection part according to the invention with an alternative to the preceding embodiments wiring mechanism,
• 16 shows an embodiment with a variant of the wiring mechanism of FIG. 15;
• FIGS. 17 and 18 show different views of an embodiment with a further alternative wiring mechanism.

Like reference numerals designate like elements throughout the drawings.

The drawn in Figure 1 connector part 1 is a plug according to the widely used RJ45 standard. One sees a contact housing, namely a plug housing 2 with eight grooves 2.1, in which plug contacts are exposed. The plug housing has in a conventional manner a pawl 2.4, which causes a reversible attachment of the plug in an associated socket (not shown). A connection block, which is not visible in the figure, is provided by an outer housing 5 and a shielding plate 6 covered. In the figure, a cap nut 7 and a coding ring 8 for a specific color coding are still visible.

Figure 2 exposes a view of the terminal block 11 and shows the shape of the shield plate 6 more clearly, which shields the plug inside on the entire length of the plug.

FIG. 3 shows the contact receptacle 12 present in the interior of the plug housing and coupled to the terminal block 11 by means of a plug connection. The contact holds eight plug contact elements 13, on which the plug contacts 13.1 are formed. In this text, these contact elements with the plug or socket contacts are simply called "contact elements" 13, in contrast to the "terminal contact elements", which are described below and which have the insulation displacement terminals. The contact elements 13 lead from a terminal block facing the rear side with a fork contact 13.3 via a connecting portion 13.2 to the front of the plug with the plug contacts 13.1. In this case, the connecting sections 13.2 of some of the contact elements 13 are guided along the (in relation to the illustrated orientation) underside of a base area of the plug receptacle, while others extend along the upper side thereof. The shape and position of the contact elements, with the exception of the plug contacts 13.1 depending on the embodiment chosen differently and, for example, be adapted so that the crosstalk between the contact elements corresponds to a specific specification. The position of the contact elements can be determined by their shape and the shape of the contact.

In the figure, an electrically conductive coupling element 14 is still drawn, which is isolated by an electrically insulating film 15 of the contact elements and controls the cross-talk between cable pairs controlled. The coupling element and its function will be described in more detail below.

In the exploded view of Figure 4 can be seen the connector housing 2 with inserted contact receptacle (not visible), the shield plate 6, the two Housing parts 21 existing terminal housing of the terminal block 11 with wiring cover 16, the housing 5 and the union nut 8 each shown as separate components, for the sake of clarity without contact elements.
In addition to the visible wiring cover 16, the connection block 11 has, for example, a second wiring cover, which is detachably arranged in the drawn arrangement on the underside of the connection block. This second wiring cover is optional; ie it can also be a single wiring cover for the wiring on the top and on the bottom are used. Incidentally, wiring covers of the type drawn are known per se and will not be described further here.

The plug is assembled from these items by before or after the circuit by means of wiring cover 16 of the terminal block 21 and the contact block - so the connector housing 2 with inserted contact receptacle 12 - are brought together. As a result, an electrical contact between the terminal contact elements and the contact elements is produced. When merging the terminal block is performed in the illustrated embodiments by two wing elements 2.2 and retaining elements 11.1 snap into corresponding recesses 2.3 of the wing elements 2.2 a. Subsequently, the shield plate 6 is pushed from the front side - ie in the figure from the left side - over connector housing and terminal block. Finally, the outer housing and the union nut, which have already been pushed over the cable before the wiring, are fastened from the rear side. The outer housing has elastic clamping elements 5.1, which narrow the passage when attaching the nut and clamp the contacted cable and thereby form a strain relief.

Structure and function of the terminal block will be explained with reference to FIGS 5 to 9.

Figure 5 shows the terminal block without wiring cover. The terminal block 11 has a connection housing consisting of two housing parts 21. Insertion slots 22 for the conductors are formed between longitudinally extending intermediate webs 21. 1 of the connection housing. In each of these insertion slots 22 protrudes from inside the insulation displacement terminal 31.1 of a terminal contact element. In the illustrated embodiment, the cutting clamps are offset from one another in the longitudinal direction and are in a 90 °. Angle to the longitudinal direction. But there are also conceivable embodiments with not mutually offset insulation displacement terminals and / or aligned at a different angle to the longitudinal insulation displacement terminals. Further, the terminal housing ribs 21.2, by means of which the conductors (including insulation) are clamped and which cause a Einzelleiterzugentlastung by preventing longitudinal movements and transverse movements of the inserted conductors. Also visible are laterally in the insertion slots 22 projecting retaining cams 21.3, as they themselves from the EP 0 671 780 are known. The drawn retaining cams 21.3 are used for the positioning and temporary stabilization of the inserted conductors before the wiring (ie the pressing of the conductors between the insulation displacement terminals). As also from the EP 0 671 780 In contrast to the illustrated embodiment, second holding cams could still be present, which are attached to the first holding cams in the middle and serve to fix the conductors after the cabling. In the illustrated embodiment, these second retaining cams are not needed, since the ribs 21.2 also stabilize against radial and displacements of the once wired conductors.

The terminal contact elements each have a front end of the terminal housing projecting contact section 31.2, which have contact surfaces for contacting the contact elements. In the illustrated embodiment, the contact parts 31.2 are pin-shaped and designed to interact with fork contact-like contact parts of the contact elements. Alternatively, they can act as solder pins for connection to a printed circuit. In addition to the contact parts 31.2 of the terminal contact elements also protrude two Positioniernokken 21.4 of the housing parts frontally. These act when matching the terminal block with the contact block with corresponding not shown depressions in the contact block (eg. In the contact) together.

It is characteristic of the drawn embodiment that the connection housing has a transverse web 21.5 extending transversely to an axial direction, which in the radial direction is outside a section 31.3, 31.4 of the connection contact elements 31 is located. This gives - compared to the prior art, where the insertion slots must be continuous, so that the contact elements can be used - mechanical stability and helps that a compact design is possible. The transverse web 21.5 is arranged plug-in contact side in the axial direction in the terminal block, while the insertion slots 22 are open to the cable side.

FIG. 6 shows the connection block according to FIG. 5 without the upper housing part. The terminal contact elements 31 have between the radially outwardly projecting insulation displacement terminals 31.1 and the contact parts 31.2 an axially (ie along the longitudinal direction) and extending between the housing parts connecting portion 31.3. Some of the terminal contact elements have in the region of the connecting portion a compensation surface 31.4, i. a flat, parallel to a (middle) plane extending section. Between a first group of terminal contact members 31 having a first insulation displacement opening direction (corresponding to the direction in which the blades protrude, upward in the figure) and a second group of connection contact elements 31 having a different cutting terminal opening direction (downward) an electrically insulating release film 32. In Figure 7, both the first group of terminal contact elements 31 and the release film 32 are not drawn. It can be seen that compensation surfaces 31.4 of terminal contact elements 31 of the second group have approximately the same lateral position as corresponding compensation surfaces 31.4 of terminal contact elements 31 of the first group. This overlapping of compensation surfaces 31.4 on opposite sides of the release film 32 can also be seen in FIG. 8.

As can be seen particularly clearly in FIG. 7, the housing parts 21 of the connection housing are shaped in such a way that the connection contact elements 31 can be inserted from the inside, whereas insertion or removal from the outside or in the direction of the outside is not possible. This makes it possible that on the outside no special precautions (recesses, etc.) are made for the insertion of the terminal contact elements have to. The insertion slots 22, the individual cable strain relief and the shape and position of the insulation displacement terminals can be designed to meet the needs.

In the production of the terminal block according to the invention, the two housing parts 21 of the terminal housing are joined together after the introduction of the terminal contact elements 31 and possibly the placement of the release film 32 and permanently or reversibly connected by suitable means. As techniques for assembling the housing parts are snap connections, a weld, a bond, etc. in question.

In the production of a one-piece connection housing, however, the terminal contact elements and possibly also the separating film are fixed in an arrangement, as it is drawn, for example, in Figure 8. The fixation can be done by an injection molding tool, which is used for the production of the connection housing in an injection molding process.

The release film 32 causes an increase in the capacitive coupling between the compensation surfaces 31.4 of the connection contact elements 31 (depending on the dielectric constant of the release film material) and an electrical separation and a precise definition of the distance between the terminal contact elements of the first and second group. With regard to the dielectric strength between the terminal contact elements, a necessary minimum spacing between the two groups of terminal contact elements is important. Instead of a release film can also be provided for at least one spacer, which is integrally formed on the housing parts 21 in the simplest case. As a further variant (which, however, does not allow compensating surfaces), the connecting portions of the terminal contact elements of the first and second group can run in the same plane but at different lateral positions.

The function of the compensation surfaces is illustrated in Figure 9, where schematically four conductors 41, 42, 43, 44 of a data cable are shown. Because the conductors are not twisted in pairs in the wiring area but are guided in parallel, there results a capacitive coupling between adjacent conductors 41, 43 and 42, 44 and an inductive coupling between the conductor loops 41, 42 and 43, 44 compensated by two diagonally opposite conductors are capacitively coupled by means of the compensation surfaces 45, 46.

The shape and relative position of the terminal contact elements 31 and contact elements 13 according to an embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. The drawn position corresponds to the relative position of the terminal contact elements and contact elements when the terminal block and the contact block are coupled together. The contact parts 31.2 of the terminal contact elements 31 protrude into slots of fork contacts 13.3 of the contact elements, whereby an electrical contact is formed. In the illustrated embodiment, the terminal contact elements of the first, upper group are coupled to contact elements whose connecting sections 13.2 extend on the upper side of the contact-receiving base (not shown). Also visible is the characteristic circuitry that causes the first, second, third and sixth plug contacts 13.1 (from the left) to be connected to the terminal contact elements of the upper group and the fourth, fifth, seventh and eighth male contacts to the terminal contact elements of the lower group.

In the following, the function and possible embodiments of the coupling element will be described. Coupling elements 14, as drawn in FIG. 3, serve to compensate for crosstalk effects between pairs of conductors or contact elements extending parallel next to one another. As shown in FIG. 3, they can be present in the contact housing of a connector part designed according to the invention. However, they can also be used in other, non-inventive plug or socket housings, which are available for plug connections between data transmission cables of the "twisted pair" type, and which otherwise configured according to the prior art or according to a new, not yet known principle could be. They can also be used in strips or other parts of data transmission systems and in particular connector systems.

As can be seen particularly well in FIG. 11a, in the case of two pairs of contact elements K1a, K1b and K2a, K2b, which are arranged next to one another in a plane, two contact elements K1b, K2a are much closer together than all others Therefore, there is a preponderance of capacitive coupling between these two contact elements K1b, K2a (the inductive coupling also exists, but is not considered here). The resulting by this coupling crosstalk is compensated by the coupling element 14. It acts through a dielectric, namely the insulating film 15.

The coupling element 14 can be seen in Figure 11b in a view. It has two coupling surfaces 14.1, 14.2, which is capacitively coupled by the dielectric to the contact elements to be coupled. In addition, two connecting parts 14.3 are present, which connect the two coupling surfaces together. In the illustrated arrangement, the connecting parts are present on the front side of the coupling element, i. they form the shorter sides of the almost rectangular coupling element.

In FIG. 11b, one still sees positioning openings 14.4 which cooperate with corresponding positioning cams (visible in FIG. 3) and, in particular, fix the lateral position. Of course, other positioning means are conceivable.

Instead of the recess 17, which separates the two coupling surfaces from each other, other means are conceivable, which ensures that the coupling concerns the elements to be coupled and not the intermediate contact element K2a. The coupling element 114 in FIG. 12 is hat-shaped in a cross-section, so that it has a greater spacing from the contact element K2a located therebetween than from the contact elements K1b, K2b to be coupled. The arrangement of Figure 13 provides that the intermediate contact element K2a is offset away from the coupling element 214 down. The coupling element may then be formed in accordance with FIG. 11b or 12, or it may also be simply plate-shaped without a recess as illustrated. The coupling element 314 of Figure 14, finally, operates similar to that of Figure 11a, but has only one connecting part 314.3.

In a plug connection part, the coupling element, as outlined in Figures 11a-14, extend parallel to the connecting portion 13.2 of a contact element. But it can also be designed so that it is parallel to the ladders, for example, where they run parallel between wiring bars.

On the basis of Figures 15-18 variants of wiring means, in particular of Beschaltungsdeckeln for an inventive connector part are still described.

Figure 15 shows an illustration of a plug of the type as shown in Figures 1 to 4, wherein a possible over-housing with union nut and a shield plate are not shown. With the exception of the wiring cover, the components of the plug according to FIG. 15 are analogous to the components of the plug according to FIGS. 1 to 4 and will not be described again here. The connector part 1, namely the plug, has two wiring cover 416, of which one in the figure for the sake of clarity is drawn at a distance from the terminal block 11. The wiring covers have feedthrough holes 416.1. In the axial direction on the plug side, this is followed by an open area 416.2 towards the plug-in terminals 31.1. On the open area follow in the axial direction plug side in the illustrated embodiment guide holes 416.3. The wiring covers have at least one latching projection 416.4. This can engage in a first detent hole 11.3 or a second detent hole 11.4 of the terminal block 11. The wiring covers are shaped such that they are translationally displaceable relative to the connection block between a first position and a second position in the radial direction through the connection block 11 and any guide means 416.5, 416.6, 11.5 of the wiring cover and / or the connection block. In the first position of the locking projection 416.4 is engaged in the first detent hole 11.3, in the second position in the second detent hole 11.4.

In contrast to the embodiments described above, the terminal block 11 has no insertion slots. Rather protrude in the illustrated embodiment, the insulation displacement terminals 31.1 at least partially freely in the radial direction to the outside.

To connect the shielded cable, for example, stripped in a first step and possibly covered the screen braid on the outer sheath of the cable. Subsequently, the individual conductors are inserted in the unstripped state in the feedthrough holes 416.1, and that until they emerge on the opposite side through the guide holes 416.3. The wiring cover is in its first position. The terminal block also has a deflection device 11.6 in the form of a possibly curved deflection surface which deflects outwardly projecting conductors to be more accessible to the operator. By pulling on the wire or stranded conductors, the distance between the outer sheath and wiring cover can be reduced to a necessary minimum. Subsequently, protruding conductors are cut off. Then, the wiring cover is closed by moving from the first to the second position (in which the lower wiring cover 416 is drawn in the figure). The cutting clamps protrude into the open area 416.2. The guided through feedthrough holes and guide holes insulated conductors are inserted between the cutting of the insulation displacement terminals 31.1 and thereby contacted by in a conventional manner.

Also shown in Figure 16 is a wiring cover 516 having feedthrough holes 516.1, an open area, and guide holes (not visible). The embodiment according to FIG. 16 differs from that according to FIG. 15 in that the wiring cover 516 is not translationally displaceable between a first position and a second position but can be displaced by a pivoting movement. For this purpose, they have in a corresponding recess 11.8 of the terminal block 11 latchable pivot pin 516.4. A latching projection 516.5 is designed to lock the pivot cover in a first or second position by latching into a first 11.3 or second latching hole 11.4. Otherwise, the function of the pivotable Beschaltungsdeckels 516 analogous to that of the wiring cover 416 according to Figure 15. However, the pivotable wiring cover 516 has the advantage that the distance between the outer jacket of the connection cable and the wiring cover can be made smaller. This is because in the first position of the Beschaldungsdeckels the radial position of the through holes 516.1 cheaper (ie closer to the Plug axis) is than in the embodiment according to FIG.

Both in the embodiment according to FIG. 15 and in that according to FIG. 16, open chambers in the manner of insertion slots can also be connected to the through-holes, which are then relatively short, instead of the illustrated and described embodiment. These lead individual (not stripped) ladder sideways. In this case, the plug-side existing guide holes may also be omitted. Then the open chambers (insertion slots), for example, extend to the plug-side end of the wiring cover. There may then still holding means are present, which prevent retraction of the once introduced conductors or counteract; this holding function can be perceived in the case of existing guide holes of these. Both the guide holes and otherwise the holding means may have for this holding function elements which protrude from the outside into the hole or the chamber and are swung out to the plug side during insertion of the conductors. When attempting to pull the ladder out, they tilt and act like a barb.

Both in the embodiment according to FIG. 15 and in that according to FIG. 16, traction protection means not shown, possibly separate from the connection block and, for example, connected to the outer housing, can be present which attack, for example, the cable as a whole and prevent any eventuality Tensile force (only) acts on the insulation displacement terminals.

In the figures 17 and 18 is still a variant of a connector part 1, namely a plug, drawn, in which no individual conductor must be threaded through feedthrough holes.

Figure 17 shows the connector part, wherein the wiring cover 616 is drawn away from the remaining connector part. The orientation of the wiring cover corresponds to that according to the first, open position. In Figure 18, the wiring cover is drawn in a position between its first and second closed positions. The wiring cover 616 is in two parts, with a hinge-like connection 616.1 between the second parts. Between the two wiring cover parts is a cable feedthrough opening 616.2 formed for the whole cable. The two parts each have a plurality of chambers 616.3 open on one side (corresponding to the plug side when the wiring cover is in its first position) in the manner of insertion slots. The insertion slots can in a known per se, holding and / or
Clamping means 616.4 and / or retention lugs 616.5, through which once inserted into the chamber ladder can be held in position. In this embodiment as well, latching means 616.6 can be present, by means of which the wiring cover can be latched relative to the connection block 11 at least in its second position.

The following procedure must be selected for installation. In a first step, the shielded cable is stripped on the connection side, for example, and the shield braid is covered over the outer jacket of the cable. Then, the stripped cable is passed through the cable passage opening 616.2, wherein the connection cover, for example, separated from the rest of the connector part and in a semi-open position (corresponding to that shown in Fig. 18) is held. At the periphery of the cable feed-through opening 616.2, there may still be clamping ribs 616.7 by which the relative position of the cable wiring cover for the wiring operation is easily fixed after being brought into the first position shown in FIG. Then the individual conductors (not stripped) are inserted into the open chambers provided for this purpose. By light pressure they are clamped by the holding and / or clamping means 616.4 and / or the retaining lugs 616.5 and held in position. They should protrude from the pivot lid on the outer (i.e., upper and lower) sides. Then protruding ends of the conductors are cut off, and the wiring cover is clipped onto the remaining connector part and snapped by a pivotal movement of its two parts on the terminal block 11. In this case, as in the embodiments described above, the conductors are contacted by the insulation displacement terminals.

Notwithstanding the illustrated embodiment, additional strain relief can be provided here as well. These can, for example, on the housing be present and attack the cable as a whole. Alternatively or additionally, for example, by an axial positive connection between the wiring cover and terminal block in the closed state, an additional strain relief may be present. Also zugentlastend the possibly existing holding and / or clamping means 616.4 act.

The embodiments of FIGS. 15 to 18, as well as all other embodiments, can have a connection block and a contact block, as described and drawn in the preceding embodiments. However, even in these embodiments, this is not a requirement, i. Plug contact elements and terminal contact elements may be carried by the same housing or even be integral with each other. Also, the bipartite of the terminal housing is as in the preceding embodiments, a possible, but not necessary embodiment of the connector part according to the invention.

The principle of the wiring cover with two mutually pivotable parts, an intermediate cable feedthrough opening and open chambers for inserting the conductor to be connected can also be used in connection systems other than the described and claimed in this patent right connector system.

The embodiment described above is just one way of carrying out the invention. Many modifications are conceivable. For example, the contact block may be designed according to a different plug standard than the RJ45 standard, for example according to the M12 standard which is widespread in industry. The bipartite terminal block - contact block is not necessary; the terminal housing can instead also form the plug housing. In this variant, separate contact elements are not necessary, the (plug) contacts may be formed on the terminal contact elements. The drawn formations of the terminal contact elements and contact elements are to be understood as examples only.

Claims (2)

Terminal block (11) for use in a connector part, which plug connection part is provided for a connector for a data transmission cable with a plurality of electrical conductors, comprising per each electrical conductor of the data transmission cable in a terminal housing existing terminal contact element (31), each with a cutting terminal (31.1) or a piercing contact for contacting the electrical conductor,
characterized,
that the connection housing is formed such that the connection contact elements (31) can not be inserted from the outside into the connection housing. Terminal block according to claim 1,
characterized,
in that the connection housing is composed of at least two housing parts (21) such that both a first and a second housing part of the connection housing carries a plurality of terminal contact elements (31) each with one of the insulation displacement terminals (31.1) or piercing contacts, and in that the terminal contact elements have a connection between Having the first and the second housing part extending portion (31.3, 31.4).

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