EP2031703A2 - Device for manufacturing a connection to a flat cable without insulation displacement - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a tapping contact (10) provided with insulations at an edge area to prevent short circuit between data leads to be contacted and a shielding. The contact is arranged in a pressure plate (6), such that connection is established with a flat cable (4). The pressure plate is flexibly supported at a side, so that pressing of the contact to the cable occurs through swiveling movement of the plate. The contact is swivelably arranged at the plate to avoid relative movement between the contact and the cable in a cable longitudinal direction during penetration in the cable.

Description

The present invention relates generally to terminal devices, and more particularly to an apparatus for stripping-free manufacture of a terminal to a flat cable having at least one shielded data line having one or more wires.

Connection devices, with which a continuous flat cable without tearing of the wires and without removal of wire and cable insulation can be tapped, have been known for over 30 years. An early publication in this respect from the applicant's home is, for example, the German patent application DE-AS 2 206 187 , This publication was only about the tapping of power lines, so lines with unshielded wires. Tapped screws were used as tapping contacts. The connection was made by the connecting device with its housing - initially without the contact screws - placed on the cable and then the cable was also enclosed on the back of a housing plate. Finally, the tapping was done by the guided in the housing with internal threads contact screws were screwed into the flat cable. They penetrated with their tip first the outer insulation of the flat cable, then the respective core insulation, and finally penetrated with the tip in the head of each vein. This contacted the vein in question.

A further development of this basic form is from the EP 0 665 608 B1 known. Due to the use of digital processor controls in building installation technology, which had started in the meantime, the idea had arisen to tap data lines in a corresponding manner, in addition to power lines. So that you can meet the wires of the data line (which is, for example, a symmetrical pair line) at any longitudinal position of the cable with a tap contact, they are not - as usual in such data lines usual - twisted together, but run parallel to each other in the median plane of the flat cable. In view of the lack of twist magnetic coupling, eg to keep within the same flat cable energy transmission cores within acceptable limits, the data line to the outside, ie also with respect to running in the flat cable energy transmission cores shielded. The tapping takes place as in the above-mentioned DE-AS 2 206 187 by screwing in contact screws. So that the contact screws do not produce short circuits between the contacted wire conductors and the shield, they are equipped with a layer of insulating material on the shaft.

In the course of further development then matured the realization that the screwing in of individual contact screws causes a relatively high installation costs. For example, the DE 201 11 496 U1 and the corresponding one EP 1 276 173 A2 - according to which the preamble of claim 1 has been formulated - that from the above EP 0 665 608 B1 known tapping device to the effect that the former contact screws are now replaced by fixed in a housing plate "tapping spikes". The actual contacting process is no longer done by screwing individual contact screws, but - in one operation together for all tap contacts - by pressing the contact pins supporting the housing plate on the flat cable. As far as the taps serve to tap the data line, they are - analogous to the above EP 0 665 608 B1 - Provided with insulation on its shaft. Mentioned in the DE 201 11 496 U1 the problem that the shield could be pulled inward from the contact tip during piercing, thus causing a short circuit; as a countermeasure, a particularly acute-angled design of the respective contact mandrels is proposed (page 20, lines 28-32).

The latter problem is also the WO 2004/042872 A1 However, again based on the principle of contacting with screws. In order to avoid pulling the shield towards the conductor, this document proposes a contact screw externally threaded on the outside of the isolated area. The pitch of the external thread is greater than that of the screw thread, which ensures the feed when screwing in the contact screw. When screwing the contact screw so it comes to a kind of drill effect, which promotes the material in the penetration area - and thus also potentially short circuit-generating parts of the shield - to the outside.

In the proposals mentioned so far, the contact elements have the basic shape of rotational bodies. In addition, it is also known to produce contact elements of sheet metal (eg by punching), see for example the EP 0 726 623 A1 , The resulting contact tips are flat and have a constant thickness, namely the sheet thickness. such flat contact elements serve - as far as visible - only the tapping of unshielded cables.

A further development in terms of impressing fixed in a housing plate arranged contact elements can be found in the WO 2005/057729 A1 That is, here for ease of Eindrückvorgangs a lever actuator is integrated into the housing. The housing plate is articulated on one side of the housing; with the help of a hinged on the other side of the housing fork lever, which engages in the housing, the housing plate can be pressed with the fixed contact elements with relatively little effort in a pivoting movement on the cable. This is about the contacting of flat cables, which have only high voltage wires.

The object of the present invention (technical problem) is to provide a connection device of the type mentioned in the introduction which can be installed easily and safely.

The invention relates to a device for stripping-free production of a connection to a flat cable, which has at least one shielded data line with one or more wires. For this purpose, the device has at least one tap contact for the stripping-free penetration of shielding and insulation and for making contact with a wire. The tap contact is designed to be electrically conductive at its free end, and is equipped at its flank region with an insulation in order to avoid a short circuit between the wire to be contacted and the shield. The tap contact is arranged on a pressure plate, that the production of the connection by applying force to the pressure plate to the flat cable out and a concomitant penetration of the tap contact takes place in the flat cable. The pressure plate is articulated on one side, so that the impressions of at least one tap contact by a pivoting movement of the pressure plate to the flat cable (4) takes place. The tap contact is slidably disposed on the pressure plate to prevent relative movement between the tap contact and flat cable in the cable longitudinal direction when penetrating into the flat cable.

Other features will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of embodiments and the accompanying drawings.

• Fig. 1 eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Ausführungsform einer Anschlussvorrichtung im geöffneten Zustand ist;
• Fig. 2 eine entsprechende Ansicht eines Querschnitts entlang der Linie II-II in Fig. 5 einer Ausführungsform mit leicht abgewandelter (nämlich gekrümmter) Kontaktform ist;
• Fig. 3 und 4 Ansichten entsprechend den Fig. 1 bzw. 2, jedoch des geschlossenen Zustands der Anschlussvorrichtung sind;
• Fig. 5 eine Vorderansicht der Anschlussvorrichtung von Fig. 1 im geöffneten Zustand ist;
• Fig. 6 eine perspektivische Draufsicht einer Andruckplatte im geöffneten Zustand der Anschlussvorrichtung zeigt; und;
• Fig. 7 eine perspektivische Draufsicht der Andruckplatte entsprechend Fig. 6, nun jedoch im geschlossenen Zustand zeigt;
• Fig. 8 eine vergrößerter Ansicht von Anzapfkontakten mit gerader Schneide im geöffneten Zustand von Fig. 1 ist;
• Fig. 9 ein vergrößerte Ansicht eines ins Flachkabel eingedrungenen Anzapfkontakts mit gerader Schneide;
• Fig. 10 ein vergrößerter Ausschnitt von Fig. 5 im Bereich der Anzapfkontakte ist;
• Fig. 11 Querschnitte des Anzapfkontakts der Fig. 6 - 8 senkrecht zur Schaftrichtung in verschiedenen Höhen zeigt;
• Fig. 12 einen Anzapfkontakt mit leicht geneigter Schneide veranschaulicht;
• Fig. 13 einen Anzapfkontakt mit einer aus zwei geneigten Schneidenabschnitten zusammengesetzten Schneide veranschaulicht, der eine konvexe Form hat;
• Fig. 14 einen Anzapfkontakt mit einer aus zwei geneigten Schneidenabschnitten zusammengesetzten Schneide veranschaulicht, der eine konkave Form hat;
• Fig. 15 einen Anzapfkontakt mit gekrümmter Schneide veranschaulicht; und
• Fig. 16 Ausführungsformen von Anzapfkontakten veranschaulicht, bei den sich die Parallelität bzw. Neigung der Schneide auf einen ganz oder teilweise geöffneten Zustand der Anzapfvorrichtung bezieht.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a connecting device in the open state;
• Fig. 2 a corresponding view of a cross section along the line II-II in Fig. 5 an embodiment with a slightly modified (namely, curved) contact shape;
• Fig. 3 and 4 Views according to the Fig. 1 and 2, however, are the closed state of the terminal device;
• Fig. 5 a front view of the connecting device of Fig. 1 is in the open state;
• Fig. 6 shows a perspective top view of a pressure plate in the open state of the connection device; and;
• Fig. 7 a perspective top view of the pressure plate accordingly Fig. 6 , now, however, shows in the closed state;
• Fig. 8 an enlarged view of tap contacts with straight cutting in the open state of Fig. 1 is;
• Fig. 9 an enlarged view of a penetrated into the flat cable tapping contact with straight edge;
• Fig. 10 an enlarged section of Fig. 5 in the field of tapping contacts;
• Fig. 11 Cross sections of the tap contact the Fig. 6-8 perpendicular to the direction of the sheep at different heights;
• Fig. 12 illustrates a tapping contact with a slightly inclined cutting edge;
• Fig. 13 illustrates a tap contact with a cutting edge composed of two inclined cutting portions, which has a convex shape;
• Fig. 14 illustrates a tap contact with a cutting edge composed of two inclined cutting sections, which has a concave shape;
• Fig. 15 illustrates a curved blade tapping contact; and
• Fig. 16 Embodiments of tapping contacts illustrated in which the parallelism or inclination of the cutting refers to a fully or partially opened state of the tap.

Fig. 1 illustrates a connection device in the open state in perspective view. Before a detailed description of the Fig. 1 and the remaining figures will first be followed by various explanations of the embodiments.

In practice, it has been shown that with piercing contacts by type of the above DE 201 11 491 U1 the problem of avoiding short circuits between the shield and the conductors of the data wires is not optimally solved. Therefore, in practice until today for the contacting of shielded data wires still contact screws, eg according to the type mentioned WO 2004/042872 A1 used in which a pull-in of the shield by means of said drill effect is reliably avoided. The inventor has now recognized other ways in which the pulling in of the shield when contacting data lines can be avoided, without requiring a screwing in of the contact elements would be required. This is based on the recognition that in connection devices with articulated pressure plate a relative movement between the tapping contact and flat cable in the cable longitudinal direction for pulling in the shield may be responsible. In the case of an articulated pressure plate, an additional component of movement relative to the cable in the direction of the joint may occur during the pivoting movement for pressing in the tapping contacts on an insulating flank lying proximally to the joint (eg if the joint lies above the contact end of the tapping contact). "Proximal" here means "facing the joint" (opposite: "distal", ie facing away from the joint). Proceeding from this, the invention reduces the problem of pulling in the shield in that this additional movement component can not even occur due to a displaceable arrangement of the tap contact. This measure has proven to be surprisingly effective.

The pivotal movement of the tap contact would therefore lead to immobile mounting on the pressure plate to a movement component of the tap contact in cable longitudinal direction. In some embodiments, the direction of this component of motion is such that the tapping contact would be displaced towards the hinge as it enters the flat cable. In order to avoid such a movement component when penetrating into the flat cable, the tap contact is arranged displaceably on the pressure plate in some embodiments. For example, to avoid said offset to the hinge, in some embodiments, the direction of displacement is such that the tap contact is moved away from the hinge as it penetrates the flat cable relative to the pressure plate. To achieve such a shift, the tap contact is in the longitudinal direction of the pressure plate displaceable.

The displacement of the tap contact takes place, for example, by entrainment in the course of penetration: as soon as the free end of the blade engages in the sheath of the flat cable, a relative displacement of the tap contact to the flat cable is practically impossible (because of the intervention would require a relatively large force). The pivoting movement leads to a relative movement between the flat cable and the pressure plate in the longitudinal direction. The early determination of the tap contact on the flat cable causes the tap contact is taken from the cable, so in the course of further pivoting is moved relative to the pressure plate away from the joint.

Since the displacement path of the tap contact i.a. is limited, care must be taken that the tapping contact at the beginning of the pivoting movement is not already at the distal end of his displacement path, because this would allow no (further) displacement away from the joint. For this purpose it would be e.g. It is conceivable that, prior to "tapping", the operator pushes the tapping contact by hand onto its proximal stop so that it will then have the freedom to move away from the joint with the cable during tapping. In some embodiments, this is effectively automated by the displaceable tapping contact in the pressure plate is subjected to force (eg spring loaded), such that it is in the end position of its displacement area before the penetration into the flat cable by the application of force (eg spring loading), which then in Course of penetration allows a shift of the tap contact to prevent movement relative to the flat cable in the cable longitudinal direction. For example, the tap contact is acted upon by a spring to the proximal stop of its displacement region. The biasing force is on the one hand sufficiently large to move the still freely displaceable (ie not yet engaging in the cable) tap contact on the pressure plate to the proximal stop, but on the other hand is sufficiently small to entrain the tapping contact by the relative movement after engagement with the flat cable the cable to the pressure plate (otherwise the tap contact would cut the cable lengthwise).

In some embodiments, tapping contact is part of the slide displaceable in the pressure plate. In some embodiments, the tapping contact is made of a metal molding surrounded at least in the flank region by insulating material. The metal molding is, for example, by casting and stamping / pressing with possibly machining post-processing, eg for sharpening said cutting edge, produced.

In some embodiments, the insulating flank region of the tapping contact is made integral with the carriage. The carriage then has on its side oriented toward the flat cable, for example, a surface which is substantially complementary to the outer contour of the flat cable, but at the subsequent tapping points has wart-like or cutting-like projections. Through central bores in these protrusions, during production, e.g. put the said metal moldings and back secured against falling out and contacted. As a result, the bleed contacts are easy to produce. By suitable mating shaping of the metal moldings and the protrusions in the pressure plate or in the slide, the abovementioned stepless transition between the contact end formed by the metal molding and the insulation formed by the protrusion can be achieved. The said one-piece production of the insulating flank regions of the tapping contacts with the slide may, for example, be an impression in a common casting process (for example plastic injection molding).

It has been shown that, in addition to the displaceable design of the tap contact, a special shaping of the tap contact is also advantageous with regard to avoiding the pull-in of the shield. Namely, the tapping contact in some embodiments at its free end on a cutting edge, which is parallel to the flat cable or slightly inclined thereto. As far as the underlying physical mechanisms are already understood, this results in a scissors effect on the tapping of the cable, so that the shield - which is usually at least partially made of an elastic material, e.g. a metallized plastic film - less stress on elongation (i.e., in the direction of normal tension) as the tapping contact is penetrated. Since the shielding material - like most flexible and elastic materials - usually has a lower strength than shear stress compared to normal stresses, it comes with the exposure to the parallel or slightly inclined cutting edge in some materials rather to break the shielding material (ie for its separation) as to its elastic deformation.

In some embodiments, the cutting edge lies in an imaginary plane, which is spanned by the wire to be contacted and the penetration direction. This means that in these embodiments with a slightly inclined cutting edge, the cutting edge and the wire to be contacted are not skewed, but together in one Lie flat.

Said shearing effect is most evident in those embodiments in which the cutting edge in the longitudinal direction of the flat cable, that is not inclined to this runs. However, the shear effect does not disappear abruptly, if one arranges the cutting edge inclined to the flat cable longitudinal direction. The "slightly inclined" course of the cutting edge is therefore here understood to mean the angle of inclination of the cutting edge relative to the cable longitudinal direction which is less than or equal to 30 °, preferably less than or equal to 20 °, and particularly preferably less than or equal to 10 °.

In some embodiments, the cutting edge is in the form of a single line piece. In other embodiments, the cutting edge may be composed of a plurality of differently inclined straight line sections. It is possible, for example, a cutting mold in the manner of a "V", which may be either on the top or rotated by 180 °. It is also possible to string several "V's" together to create a total serrated shape. The above angle specifications refer to the individual straight sections of the cutting edge; In fact, in the examples given, it is very flat "V".

In other embodiments, the cutting edge is not straight or piecewise straight, but has a curved shape, for example, the shape of a circular section or ellipse section or a portion of another basket arch shape (ie, a shape whose radius of curvature increases from the edges toward the center). In some of these embodiments, the cutting edge continues continuously into a more curved cutting edge; Both together then have, for example, the shape of a semicircle, a semi-ellipse or another basket arch shape. In some embodiments includes - as will be explained in more detail below - on the cutting edge on one or both sides of a more inclined insulating cutting edge. Strictly speaking, in some embodiments with a curved cutting edge, in the absence of a "kink" (as a sudden change in the gradient), there is no precise boundary between the regions designated as the "cutting edge" and the "cutting edge". At the very least, however, it can be stated that a curved blade tapping contact - when it has a relatively large radius of curvature in the middle (ie where it first enters the flat cable) - has a relatively long central region in which the cutting edge is not or only slightly inclined extends to the cable longitudinal direction. Where you also the border to the more inclined cutting edge Thus, a not or slightly inclined cutting edge is present, which in its function corresponds to the above in connection with straight running, not or little inclined cutting. Because of the parallelism or only slight inclination of this curved central region, namely, even with such curved tapping contacts, the shear effect described above occurs. A "relatively large radius of curvature" in this sense is, for example, when the radius of curvature of a tapping contact in the center is greater than or equal to half the extension of the tapping contact in the longitudinal direction (note: for a semicircular arc, the radius of curvature is uniformly equal to half the length of the tapping contact for example, in the case of an elliptical half arc with the major axis of the ellipse in the longitudinal direction, the radius of curvature in the middle, for example, is greater than half the extent of the longitudinal contact point of the tapping contact).

A tip (eg the tip of the contact element 32 of FIG Fig. 14 of the DE 201 11 496 U1 ) is punctiform in the region of its extremum, and thus has no extension in the longitudinal direction, in the case of an imaginary ideal tip. In practice, a peak will be more or less rounded, but in order for it to still act as a peak, its radius of curvature will generally be far below the above values. A tip on the type of contact element 32 of Fig. 14 of the DE 201 11 496 U1 So no cutting with no or only slightly inclined course to the cable longitudinal direction is.

If the length of the cutting edge can be clearly indicated in the longitudinal direction (as in the case of a straight cutting edge), this length is preferably greater than or equal to half the diameter of the conductor of the strand to be contacted, and particularly preferably greater than or equal to this diameter. For practical reasons, the length of the cutting edge will usually not exceed 5 to 20 times the diameter of the conductor.

In some embodiments, the isolated flank area widens in the transverse plane (ie, in cross section perpendicular to the cutting edge). As a result, the initially separated shield together with the surrounding insulating material is spread apart transversely to the direction of penetration, which can additionally counteract the pulling in of the shield. In some embodiments, in which the broadening already begins at the electrically conductive contact region, that is to say at the cutting edge, this broadening thus continues into the insulated flank region, for example at least up to the height of the shield (the latter based on the contacted state of the connecting device ). In other words, therefore, the expanding training of the limited Tapping contact not only on the electrically conductive contact area, but also extends into the isolated shaft area. In other embodiments, the electrically conductive contact area is not broadened in the transverse plane (ev. Apart from a sharpening of the blade); Here, the isolated flank area alone ensures this broadening.

In some embodiments with a widening contact element between the electrically conductive free end (also called "contact end") and the insulation, a stepless transition, so that the contact end and the insulation in terms of shaping form a unitary body. In those of these embodiments, in which the broadening already begins in the electrically conductive contact region, thus following the cutting of the cable and wire insulation and the shield immediately spreading the cable in a continuous process, the - to the depth of the cable to be tapped, in the the shield is located, starting from the metallically conductive contact end and continuing from the insulated edge.

As already mentioned above, in some embodiments, the not or only slightly inclined cutting edge includes a more inclined insulating cutting flank (in the case of two-sided connection: two insulating cutting flanks). The tap contact thus has (also) in the longitudinal plane, i. the imaginary plane, which is spanned by the cutting edge and the direction of penetration, a widening shape. In some of these embodiments, the change in inclination between the cutting edge and the cutting edge occurs abruptly, ie in the manner of a bend (although this bend may or may not be at the point of transition from conductive to insulating material). Alternatively, in other embodiments (e.g., those with a curved edge), the change in inclination between the cutting edge and the cutting edge is continuous, i. without kink.

In some embodiments, the entire blade (or the entire portion of the blade that enters the conductor of the wire to be contacted) is electrically conductive; only the flank is insulating .. But this is not absolutely necessary; In other embodiments, therefore, only part of the cutting edge (or only part of the part of the cutting edge penetrating into the conductor of the wire to be contacted) is designed to be electrically conductive, but the other part thereof is designed to be insulating. The cutting edge is partly made of insulating material, for example, and only central portion of the cutting edge is off conductive material. For example, a curved cutting edge can be made of one piece of insulating plastic material into which an electrically conductive metal pin is inserted, which forms part of the cutting surface at the point penetrating the deepest in the flat cable.

With a pivoting movement of the pressure plate is accompanied by a certain change in the angular position of the tap contact. The cutting edge is thus in the position in which it cuts through the shield, in a slightly different angle than in the end position in which it comes to rest in the ladder. The size of this change in angle depends on the path difference between the two positions relative to the length of the lever arm, is hinged on the tap. As a rule, due to typical dimensions, this change in angle will be relatively small; in the illustrated embodiments, for example, it is less than 10 °.

In some embodiments, the definitions made concerning the angle course of the cutting edge (parallel / slightly inclined or 30 ° / 20 ° / 10 °) now relate to the angular position of the cutting edge in the fully contacted state of the tapping contact.

Alternatively, the definitions made about the angle of the cutting edge (parallel / slightly inclined or 30 ° / 20 ° / 10 °) refer to the angular position that the cutting edge has when it penetrates the shielding.

Some embodiments, in combination with one or more of the features described above or in the claims, have one or more of the following features:

The tapping widened in cross section seen perpendicular to the cutting edge.

For the broadening in cross section perpendicular to the cutting edge of the insulated flank area is widening.

There is a stepless transition between the electrically conductive free end and the insulation of the tap contact.

The tapping contact also has at least one more inclined insulating cutting edge.

The insulating cutting edge continues the cutting edge.

The change in inclination between the not or only slightly inclined cutting edge and the more inclined insulating cutting edge occurs abruptly.

The change in inclination between the not or only slightly inclined cutting edge and the more inclined insulating cutting edge takes place continuously.

The entire part of the cutting edge, which penetrates into the conductor of the wire to be contacted, is electrically conductive.

Only part of the penetrating in the head of the wire to be contacted part of the cutting edge is electrically conductive, the other part thereof, however, is formed insulating.

Fig. 1 - 5: Overall views of connecting devices

Now returning to Fig. 1 to 5 , these overall perspective views ( Fig. 1 and 3 ) and side views ( Fig. 2 and 4 ) of embodiments of terminal devices 1 which differ in the form of contact. And that show Fig. 1 . 3 and 5 a connection device with tapping contacts with straight cutting edge, while the Fig. 2 and 4 represent another with curved cutting edges. The figures show the connecting device 1 in the open state ( Fig. 1 and 2 ) and when closed ( Fig. 3 and 4 ), as well as a front view of the opened state ( Fig. 5 ). The connecting device 1 is composed of a lower part 2 and an upper part 3, which can accommodate a tapped flat cable 4 between them. Upper and lower part 2, 3 are initially separate components that have complementary latching cams 19 (FIG. Fig. 3 ) can be assembled so that they are about a common pivot axis 18 ( Fig. 2 ) from the open state ( Fig. 1 . 2 and 5 ) in a closed state ( Fig. 3 and 4 ) can be swiveled. The inner sides of the lower part 2 and the upper part 3 each form a pressure plate 5 and 6, respectively.

The flat cable 4 ( Fig. 1 . 3 and 5 ) has an outer contour which has no symmetry with respect to a rotation of the flat cable 4 by 180 °. For example, it has five power cores 7 running in the middle plane of the cable 4 (eg the three conductors of a three-phase system, the return conductor and a protective conductor); In the same plane is also located on one side of the flat cable 4 is a shielded data line 8. It is, for example, a symmetrical pair line, which in the example shown two parallel extending non-twisted data wires 9 has. The data cores 9 are jointly surrounded by a shield 22, which is, for example, a conductive (eg metallized) plastic film. Between each power core 7 is located outside the flat cable 4 each have a longitudinal recess. However, no such depression is found between the data wires 9, since there the shield 22 is flat; This already eliminates a possible symmetry with respect to a rotation of the cable 4 by 180 °. In addition, in the example shown, a particularly deep constriction exists between the outermost energy supply core 7 and the subsequent data line; This also acts symmomenteseitend. The pressure plates 5, 6 have a complementary shape to this cable outer contour, so that the flat cable 4 can be inserted only in a specific orientation in the lower part 2, thus thus a "coding" of connecting device 1 and 4 cable is achieved. Fig. 5 provides a view from the front of the obliquely upward pressure plate 6, wherein the outer contour of the cable complementary inner contour is visible.

Via the data cores 9, a tapping contact 10 for the data cores 9 is provided in the pressure plate 6 of the upper part 3, which protrudes directed from the pressure plate 5 to the flat cable 4 out. The two tap contacts 10 are fixed (ie, non-rotatable and non-displaceable) arranged in the upper pressure plate 6. In the cable longitudinal direction, the two tapping contacts 10 are arranged offset in order to distribute the spreading of the data cores 9, which is accompanied by the impressions of the tapping contacts 10, to different locations, viewed in the cable longitudinal direction. (Note: In Fig. 3 two tap contacts 10 are shown in FIG Fig. 4 however, only one is shown - the reason is that in Fig. 3 through the left tapping 10 in Fig. 5 walks into Fig. 4 however, through the right tap 10 in Fig. 5 ).

Only stylized are in Fig. 1 and 5 Tapping contacts 20 for the power conductors 7 shown. These are designed as non-insulated heavy current contacts, for example, in the manner of the WO 2005/057729 A1 known contacts, so that no further explanations follow. If "tapping contacts" are mentioned briefly below, this always refers to the tap contacts 10 for the data line 8.

The upper part 3 is equipped with a two-sided lever 11, which is hinged to a lever axis 12 on the upper part 3 and this engages fork-shaped. On the side facing the flat cable 4 side of the lever, this has on both sides of the upper part 3 each have a fork thirteenth on, which engage in a complementary fork recess 14 in the lower part 2 and can engage under a fork abutment 15 provided there. At the side remote from the flat cable 4 side of the lever 11, this is equipped with a handle 16.

The tap contacts 10 are not fixedly arranged in the pressure plate 6, but in a longitudinally displaceable in the pressure plate 6 slides 35. The carriage 35 is slidably mounted in a provided in the pressure plate 6 slide in the longitudinal direction of the pressure plate 6. The carriage 35 is formed for example of plastic, namely z. B. in one piece with the isolation of the tap contact 10 shown in detail below. In the slide 35 together with insulation plastic part forming a contact piece 29 is inserted from metal; it enters the surface of the tapping contact 10 at the free end of a cutting edge.

When closed ( FIG. 4 ), the longitudinal direction of the pressure plate 6 (ie, the direction in which the tap contact 10 is slidable) coincides with the longitudinal direction of the flat cable 4. In the opened state of the connecting device 1 ( FIG. 2 ), the two directions do not coincide exactly, but differ by the pivot angle β of the connection device; However, in the projection of the pressure plate 6 on the flat cable 4, they also fall together in the open state.

The carriage 35 is limited in its longitudinal movement by stops, by a proximal stop 36 and a distal stop 37. The maximum possible movement stroke between these two stops is in FIG. 15 represented and designated x ₁ .

As will be explained in more detail below, the carriage 35 is spring-loaded, so that it is in the open state of the connection device 1 in the in FIG. 2 illustrated initial position 38 is located. In fact, in this initial position 38 it bears against the proximal stop 36.

The installation of a cable connection using the connection device 1 is hereby carried out in the following manner: First, the flat cable 4 is inserted into the (still separate) lower part. Then, lower part 2 and upper part 3 are joined together at their latching cams 19 to form their pivot axis 19. The lower and upper parts are then initially in an open position, for example, at an angle of 15 ° to each other, as in the Fig. 1 and 2 is shown. The operator now inserts the fork 13 into the fork recess 14, and pushes the lever 11 down. As a result - with force reduction due to the leverage - the upper part 3 is pressed onto the flat cable 4, so that the tap contacts 10 in the data line 8 penetrate and contact the data wires 9, and the terminal device 1 finally in the in the Fig. 3 and 4 shown closed state comes.

In the course of the closing movement of the shoulder contract 10 penetrates with its free end in the flat cable 4, and is thereby moved in the further course of the closing movement slightly in the distal direction relative to the pressure plate 6, otherwise it would slit the cable 4 in the longitudinal direction. For this purpose, the spring force acting on the tapping contact 10 in the proximal direction is smaller than the slot force acting on the contact in the distal direction. After complete closure of the tap contact 10 reaches the in FIG. 16 shown end position 39. This end position 39 is not entirely on the distal stop 37; Rather, here is a safety distance x _{2 is provided} to this stop to provide a certain tolerance for the displacement and thus avoid cable slit in the longitudinal direction in any case. The displacement path Δx is therefore x _1- x ₂ .

The connection device 1 is thus already in its final state; a to be pushed over the handle 16 locking 17 prevents the connecting device 1 could return to its open position. The actual installation of a connection is thus - after inserting the cable and joining the device - without tools with only one hand movement feasible.

The connection device 1 has on the upper part 3 on a outlet socket 21, which is encoded, for example, according to one of the common industrial connector systems (eg Wieland®, Wago® or Ensto®). The data line 8 is, for example, an EIB, LON or CAN bus. The connection device 1 may be, for example, a so-called actuator, that is to say a device which is equipped with one or more switches which can be actuated by a control signal for the power cores branching off to the outgoing socket 21. The control signals for switching on and off come as signals, for example, according to the EIB, LON or CAN standard on the data line 8. With such an actuator, for example, electrical lights and devices can be remotely controlled by control signals such as a building management center on and off , In another possible application, the connection device 1 is designed as a sensor device, and for this purpose, for example, in the upper part 3 with a suitable sensor (eg temperature sensor) equipped. The signals of this sensor can be transmitted via the data line 8, for example, to a building management center. Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible to use external sensors or Devices which provide measurement or status signals to be connected via the outgoing socket 21 to the connection device 1. These signals are then fed from the connection device 1 in the bus formed by the data line 8.

6 and 7: spring loading of the carriage

The FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate with a plan view of the pressure plate 6 an exemplary realization of the spring loading of the carriage 35. To allow the movement of the carriage 35 relative to the pressure plate 6, the latter is equipped with a cutout 40, in which the carriage 35 is inserted. The longitudinal edges of the cutout 40 are encompassed by the carriage 35 and thus simultaneously form a longitudinal guide for this. At its distal end, a resilient tab 41 is integrally formed on the carriage 35 in one piece. This consists z. B., such as the carriage 35, made of insulating plastic material. The resilient tab 41 has in the unloaded state z. B. the form of a "V"; it can be elastically deformed into the shape of a "U", as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18. It is supported with its free end to an abutment 42, which is arranged at the distal edge of the cutout 40. As long as no external forces acting on the carriage 35, so in the open state of the connecting device 1 shown in Figure 17, the resilient tab 41 presses the carriage 35 thus in the proximal direction of the proximal stop 36, so that the carriage 35 thus in the FIGS. 15 and 17 assumes initial position 38. On the other hand, when closing the connecting device 1, the external force in the distal direction originating from the engagement of the contact 10 in the cable 4 acts, the slide 35 shifts in the distal direction with elastic deformation of the tab 41 until it is in the distal direction Figures 16 and 18 end position 39 shown.

In the in the FIGS. 1 to 7 shown embodiments, a plurality of tap contacts 10 are arranged together on a carriage 35. In contrast, in other embodiments, a plurality of independently displaceable carriages are provided (eg, one carriage for each tap contact 10) in order to take into account different displacement paths Δx, which will occur with relatively widely spaced bleed contacts (in the embodiments of FIGS FIGS. 15 to 18 with shared slides, the difference in displacement was still considered negligible).

Fig. 8-11: Detail views of tap contacts and cable

The Fig. 8 - 10 By way of example, tapping contacts with a straight cutting edge are shown here by way of example - the same applies, however, to other embodiments with a curved cutting edge, for example according to FIG Fig. 2 and 4 shown type.

In a section along the line II-II of Fig. 5 , ie along the cable direction, shows Fig. 8 the data line 8 containing part of the flat cable 4 in not yet contacted state; ie the tap contacts 10 are still outside of the flat cable. 4 Fig. 9 shows a similar sectional view, but in the contacted state, ie the tap contact 10 shown has penetrated into data line 8 and contacts the conductor 23 of the data wire. 9 Fig. 10 shows a detailed view of the tap contacts 10 and the cut flat cable 4 from the front. The 8 and 9 So show a section in the longitudinal direction, while the Fig. 10 shows a section in the transverse direction.

The structure of the flat cable 4 in the area of the data line 8 is in Fig. 9 shown in more detail. Seen from the inside out, the central conductor 23 is followed by a core insulation 24. This is designed so that it integrally surrounds both conductors 23 of the data line 8, and thereby has the cross-sectional shape of a rectangle with rounded corners (FIG. Fig. 10 ). In other embodiments, each conductor 23 is surrounded in each case with its own circular in cross-section core insulation, wherein the two cores thus formed are then embedded in an intermediate sheath, the outer contour of the conductor insulation 24 of Fig. 10 equivalent. To the rectangular insulation 24 (or possibly the correspondingly shaped intermediate jacket), the shield 22 is arranged. This consists for example of a metallized plastic film and is optionally additionally equipped with a Beidraht and / or a braided shield. Finally, the shield 22 is enveloped by a cable sheath 25, which integrally forms the sheath of the entire flat cable 4 (thus also the high-voltage cores 7).

The 8 and 9 So show a section in the longitudinal direction, while the Fig. 10 shows a section in the transverse direction.

The tap contacts 10 are essentially composed of two parts, namely a metal molding 26 and an insulation 27. The metal molding 26 has a elongate, substantially composed of two cylinder sections shaft 28 and a contact piece 29 which is integrally formed on the free end of the shaft 28. The contact piece 29 runs - in the transverse direction ( Fig. 10 ) - to the free end pointed, and thus forms a cutting edge 30. Moreover, the cutting edge 30 on both sides in each case a highly inclined cutting edge 31, which is formed by insulating material. In the finished contacted state ( Fig. 9 ), the cutting edge 30 extends in the embodiment of the Fig. 8 to 10 parallel to the direction of the conductor 23, ie parallel to the cable longitudinal direction. The cutting edge 30 lies in an imaginary plane which is spanned by the conductor 23 to be contacted and the direction of penetration. This means that - how to get in Fig. 10 can see - the cutting edge 30 in the open state of the connecting device is centrally above the conductor to be contacted 23, and penetrates the conductor 23 in the middle when penetrating into the flat cable 4.

The length 1 ( Fig. 9 ) of the cutting edge 30 in the cable longitudinal direction is in the in the Fig. 8 to 10 illustrated embodiment, about 1.7 times as the diameter d of the conductor 23; In absolute terms, this means, for example, at d = 1.5 mm, that 1 = 2.6 mm.

The insulations 27 of all the tapping contacts 10 are made in one piece with carriages 35 (here only stylized), e.g. by injection molding of a suitable insulating plastic. After the injection molding and possibly drilling out of the insulation 27 is to complete a tapping contact 10, only the metal mold part 26 from the cable side into the carriage 35 to insert and back to secure against falling out.

The insulation 27 surrounds the shaft 28 of the molded part 26 and thus forms an insulating edge of the tapping contact 10, leaving only the cutting edge 30 and the contact piece 29 leading to it uncovered, the extension of the latter in the direction of the shaft approximately equal to the diameter d. In cross-section ( Fig. 10 ), the contact piece 29 widens from the cutting edge 30 to the shaft 28. This broadening continues steplessly into the insulation 27, so that the tapping contact 10 has, in cross section, a total uniformly widening shape. This serves, as has already been explained above, the additional spreading of the cable sheath 25, the shielding 22 and the core insulation 24 in the course of the tapping operation.

In section in the longitudinal direction ( 8 and 9 ) is the contact piece 29 in the embodiment of Fig. 6 to 8 essentially rectangular, thus has no broadening. However, the insulation 27 widens towards the pressure plate 6 out. Also with respect to the contour in the longitudinal direction is a stepless transition from the contact piece 29th to the widening insulation 27. The lateral, strongly inclined edges of the insulation 27, in longitudinal section ( 8 and 9 ), are formed as cutting edges 31. In a cross-section of the tapping contact 10 perpendicular to the direction of the shaft ( Fig. 11 The function of the cutting edges 31 is to lengthen the cut initially produced by the cutting edge 30 in the longitudinal direction, while the tap contact 10 is deeper penetrates into the flat cable 4.

Fig. 11 shows cross sections of the tapping contact 10 perpendicular to the direction of the shaft, wherein the outer contours of the metal molding 26 (solid lines) and the insulation 27 (dashed lines) are shown in the manner of contour lines. The contour line at S 1 shows a section at the level of the cutting edge 30, the contour line S2 shows a section through the contact piece 29, and the contour lines S3 and S4 show two sections through the isolated region of the tap contact 10.

The closing process begins with the in Fig. 8 shown position. Upon penetration of the tapping contact, the cutting edge 30 successively cuts through the cable jacket 25, the shield 22 and the core insulation 24 and finally penetrates into the conductor 23. The carriage 35 shifts in the distal direction. The inclined cutting edges 31a, b extend the cut, with the cut length increasing towards the outside of the cable. Due to the transversely widening shape of the tap contact 10, the cut-open material is spread apart in the region of the cut, whereby the extent of the spread also increases towards the outside of the cable. With the penetration of the tapping contact 10, a force is applied to the flat cable 4 for the pressure plate 5 due to the aforementioned spreading. This action leads to a permanent elastic deformation of the flat cable 4 such that the conductor 23 is displaced in the area of the tapping point to the lower pressure plate 5 ( Fig. 9 ). The displacement distance is for example about half of the conductor diameter d. The underlying layers of the cable 4 (core insulation 24 and jacket 25) are compressed accordingly. The extension of the tapping contact 4 from the pressure plate 6 (called "height") takes into account this displacement of the conductor 23. In the illustrated embodiments, the height of the tapping contact is so large that the cutting edge 30 is approximately at the bottom of the conductor 23 and the insulation 27th begins approximately at the top of the conductor 23. If the cable deformation is not considered, the distance of the cutting edge 30 from the upper pressure plate 6 would be so about half the cable diameter plus half the conductor diameter, and the insulation 27 starts at about half the cable diameter minus half the conductor diameter. Under the in Fig. 9 shown consideration of the cable deformation, the height of the tap contact 10 is greater, and indeed - with an assumed displacement of the conductor 23 by d / 2 - the blade 30 is now half the cable diameter plus the conductor diameter, while the beginning of the insulation 27 is half the cable diameter ,

Fig. 12 to 16: Different versions of the cutting edge

While in the embodiments of 8 to 11 the cutting edge runs parallel to the cable longitudinal direction, illustrate the Fig. 12 to 16 Alternative embodiments (the insulation 27 also present in these examples with possibly existing cutting edges is in the Fig. 11 - 14 and 16 not drawn). In the example of Fig. 12 the cutting edge 30 is inclined relative to the cable longitudinal direction 32 by an angle α. In the illustrated examples, the angle α is about 15 °.

In another embodiment according to Fig. 13 the cutting edge 30 is composed of two cutting portions 33, one of which is inclined by the angle α, and the other by the angle -α relative to the cable longitudinal direction 32. The cutting portions 33 are V-shaped; the contact piece 29 thus has a convex shape.

In another embodiment of the tap contact 10 according to FIG Fig. 14 the two cutting portions 33 are arranged in the manner of an inverted "V". The tap contact 10 thus has a concave shape.

In a further embodiment according to Fig. 15 the cutting edge 30 is curved, according to the embodiment of the Fig. 2 and 4 , The cutting edge 30 and the cutting edges 31 have, for example, a semicircular shape. The radius of curvature r of the cutting edge 30 in the example shown is equal to the extent e of the tapping contact 10 in the longitudinal direction. Fig. 15 also shows by way of example that the contact piece 29 of the metal molding 26 does not need to extend over the entire length with which the tap contact 10 penetrates into the conductor 23. Rather, extends in the embodiment of Fig. 15 (and the same can apply to differently shaped tapping contacts) the contact piece only over a part of this length, and thus forms only part of the cutting edge 30. The remaining part of the cutting edge 30 and the subsequent cutting edges 31 are formed by the insulation 27. This one can, like Fig. 15 shows, integrally molded with the carriage 35.

The previously discussed examples concerned various parallel or inclined arrangements of the cutting edge 30 relative to the cable longitudinal direction 32, wherein the parallelism or inclination always referred to that position of the tap contact 10, in which this in the contacted end state, ie when the connection device 1 is closed. Since the upper part 3 is pivoted about an axis of rotation (eg the axis of rotation 18) in the course of the pushing-in movement, the angular position of the tap contact 10 changes in the course of this pivoting movement. In alternative embodiments, the parallelism or inclination of the cutting edge 30 can now relate to a further open position of the connecting device 1. For example, illustrated Fig. 16 the case of a tapping contact 10, in which the cutting edge 30 extends in that position parallel to the cable longitudinal direction 32, in which it rests against the shield 22 or - at a somewhat further open position - the cable sheath 25. As in Fig. 16 dashed lines, this means that the cutting edge in the contacted state of the connecting device consequently has an inclination relative to the cable longitudinal axis 32, which corresponds to the pivot angle β. The above statements on different inclinations and shapes of the cutting edge in connection with the Fig. 12 to 15 Therefore, alternatively refer to cases accordingly Fig. 16 , wherein in each case the pivoting angle β is to be added to the said inclination angle α or -α.

The described embodiments thus show connection devices with which the stripping-free tapping of shielded data lines can be effected in a simple and (short-circuit) safe manner.

Claims (15)

Apparatus for stripping-free production of a connection to a flat cable (4), which has at least one shielded data line (8) with one or more wires (9), wherein the device (1) has at least one tap contact (10) for the stripping-free penetration of shielding (22) and insulation (24, 25) and for contacting a wire (9), the tap contact (10) is electrically conductive at its free end and is equipped at its flank region with an insulation (27) to avoid a short circuit between the wire to be contacted (9) and the shield (22), and the tap contact (10) is arranged on a pressure plate (6), that the production of the connection by applying force to the pressure plate (6) to the flat cable (4) out and a concomitant penetration of the tap contact (10) in the flat cable (4) .
characterized in that the pressure plate (6) is articulated on one side, so that the impressions of the at least one tap contact (10) by a pivoting movement of the pressure plate (6) to the flat cable (4) takes place, and in that the tapping contact (10) is displaceably arranged on the pressure plate (6) in order to avoid a relative movement between tapping contact (10) and flat cable (4) in the cable longitudinal direction when penetrating into the flat cable (4). Apparatus according to claim 1, which is designed such that the tapping contact (10) during penetration into the flat cable (4) relative to the pressure plate (6) is moved away from the joint (18). Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tap contact (10) in the longitudinal direction of the pressure plate (6) is displaceable. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, in which the displaceable tap contact (10) is subjected to force so that it is in the end position of its displacement region before it penetrates into the flat cable (4) by the application of force, which then in the course of penetration a shift of the Tap contact to prevent movement relative to the flat cable (4) allowed in the cable longitudinal direction. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the force is applied by a spring. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the tap contact (10) is part of a in the pressure plate (6) slidable carriage (35). Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the tap contact (10) is made of a metal molding (26) which is surrounded at least in the flank region of insulating material. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the insulating part of the tap contact (10) with the carriage (35) is made in one piece. An apparatus according to claim 86, wherein the insulating part of the tapping contact (10) and the carriage (35) are co-molded in a casting operation. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the tap contact (10) has a cutting edge (30) extending in the longitudinal direction of the flat cable (4) or slightly inclined thereto. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the cutting edge (30) lies in an imaginary plane which is spanned by the wire (9) to be contacted and the penetration direction. Apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the inclination angle of the cutting edge (30) relative to the cable longitudinal direction is less than or equal to 30 °, preferably less than or equal to 20 °, and particularly preferably less than or equal to 10 °. An apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein said inclined blade (30) is composed of a plurality of differently inclined blade portions (33). Apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 13, wherein the cutting edge (30) has a curved shape. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said cutting edge (30) is in the form of a circular section or ellipse section or a section of another basket arch form.

Images