EP2182592A2 - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

The connector has a contact carrier (11) comprising a coding unit (17), which cooperates with a coding unit of another contact carrier. The former coding unit ensures arrangement of the contact carriers, where the arrangement is defined with respect to the connection of contacts (14) and counter contacts. The former contact carrier comprises a support for the former coding unit that is designed as a separate component, and has guides (19), which hold the former coding unit in a preset position. The former coding unit is locked at the former carrier.

Description

The invention relates to a connector having a first contact carrier, in which contacts are arranged, which enter into electrical contact with mating contacts of a second contact carrier in the arrangement of the contact carrier, wherein the first contact carrier comprises first coding means, which cooperate with second coding means of the second contact carrier and ensure a defined with respect to the connection of contacts and mating contacts arrangement of the contact carrier to each other.

A generic connector is for example off DE 196 07 381 C2 known, where it is a connector according to Rast 5 standard. Also generic are connectors according to Rast 2.5 standard, which differ from the aforementioned connectors essentially only by the contact pitch.

Connectors according to the Rast 5 or Rast 2.5 standard are connectors that have become particularly established in electrical household and kitchen appliances, heating controls and intrinsic wiring solutions of the automotive industry.

Such connectors usually comprise a plug (second contact carrier) and a socket (first contact carrier), each in a generally multi-pole design. The term "plug" refers to the design of the "male" contact part, while the "socket" has "female" contact parts. Since most of the RAST connectors used on the market, the socket is that part which is attached to, for example, contact portions of a printed circuit board or a pin header, the socket is hereinafter referred to as a socket. Consequently, printed circuit boards, pin headers od. Like. Considered in the context of the invention as a plug or plug-in means.

In order to ensure a polarity-safe assembly of plug-in means and socket, both parts have coding. In particular, for a reverse polarity attachment to printed circuit boards, the coding means selbiger are formed as PCB recesses or cuts in the contact area of the circuit board, which vary in their position, length and thickness. For each coding of a plug-in portion of a printed circuit board, a mating socket is made for this purpose, the housing forms with the cutouts corresponding coding walls.

In addition to this form of mechanical coding often a colored coding is used. At the plug-in color markings are mounted, which can be found in the form of stickers, color bars or colored socket housings. Thus, it is made clear for the assembly that correspondingly marked sockets on the location of identical color on the plug means, e.g. the circuit board, are to be put on. In this case, the color marking can be designed as a complementary optical, quasi-redundant coding for unmatched fitting of socket and plug-in means or serve to mechanically coded identical sockets or plug-in means for further distinction in addition.

The mechanical as well as the color coding has proven to be particularly advantageous, since a virtually error-free assembly - i. a reverse polarity safe installation of plug and socket - is guaranteed. Meanwhile, however, the production of such connectors is considered to be in need of improvement.

In the production of batches are each made with a specific mechanical and / or color coding, which then set-up times at the manufacturing facilities for the production of a batch with other mechanical and / or color coding are necessary. If the color coding is done by means of stickers or color bars, this too is an improvement step.

The object of the invention is to simplify the production of connectors with in particular mechanical coding.

The object is achieved by a connector according to claim 1, which is characterized in particular by the fact that at least one contact carrier has a receptacle for an executed as a separate component coding.

The essential advantage of the invention lies in the fact that standard contact carriers as well as separately the mechanical coding means can be manufactured so that the set-up times at the production plants are eliminated. Depending on the desired mechanical coding, a contact carrier with a corresponding coding is assembled from a standard contact carrier and separate coding means.

For a substantially unsolvable arrangement of the coding means is provided that they can be latched in the contact carrier.

The storage-stable holder can be achieved by the contact carrier has guides in which the coding engage in areas.

The invention particularly relates to a connector whose first contact carrier is a housing of a socket. This is advantageously provided on the bottom side with locking means for holding the coding.

It is envisaged that the coding means for the housing is designed as a push-in coding wall, wherein in particular the socket housing for this pair has mutually associated grooves, engage in the sub-regions of the inserted into the socket housing coding wall for the purpose of position stabilization. It is advantageous if the coding wall in the insertion direction has latching means for arrangement in the socket housing.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the coding wall can be used as a front wall with the socket housing open at the side.

Since sockets are known with different depths, it is provided that the coding wall has a set over a material weakening zone cut section, around which the coding wall can be shortened when used in a less deep compared to its length housing.

For a further or alternative definition of the Kodierwand is provided that the Kodierwand has at its standing with the housing of the socket in contact longitudinal sides shoulders, which enter into a snap connection with bushing side projections.

It is intended to use this form of locking connection, in particular when used as the end wall of the housing Kodierwänden.

The connector according to the invention is preferably a connector according to the catch 5 or Rast 2.5 standard.

If the coding means is designed in color, the above-described color coding can be carried out by means of appropriately colored coding means, in particular coding walls. This eliminates set-up times for the production of differently colored batches of contact carriers.

If the first contact carrier is designed as a socket housing, then the second contact carrier is a plug-in means, in particular a plug or a printed circuit board.

Fig. 1 und 2

einen erfindungsgemäßen Kontaktträger in Form eines Gehäuses einer Steckbuchse in Aufsicht bzw. perspektivischer Ansicht mit erster mechanischer Kodierung,

Fig. 3 und 4

ein Gehäuse einer Steckbuchse in Aufsicht und perspektivischer Ansicht mit einer zweiten mechanischen Kodierung,

Fig. 5

ein Gehäuse einer Steckbuchse eines erfindungsgemäßen Steckverbinders mit Kodierstegen in Explosionsansicht,

Fig. 6

das Gehäuse gemäß Fig. 5 in alternativer Ausführungsform,

Fig. 7

die Kodierwände gemäß Fig. 5,

Fig. 8

die Kodierwände gemäß Fig. 6,

Fig. 9 und 10

Beispiele für Rastbefestigungen von Kodierwänden in Gehäusen einer Steckbuchse,

Fig. 11 und 12

Darstellungen von Steckbuchsen mit voneinander abweichender mechanischer Kodierung zum Aufsatz auf Kontaktabschnitte einer Leiterplatte.

Further advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description. Show it:

Fig. 1 and 2

a contact carrier according to the invention in the form of a housing of a socket in plan view or perspective view with first mechanical coding,

3 and 4

a housing of a socket in plan view and perspective view with a second mechanical coding,

Fig. 5

a housing of a socket of a connector according to the invention with Kodierstegen in exploded view,

Fig. 6

the housing according to Fig. 5 in an alternative embodiment,

Fig. 7

the coding walls according to Fig. 5 .

Fig. 8

the coding walls according to Fig. 6 .

FIGS. 9 and 10

Examples of locking fixtures of coding walls in housings of a socket,

FIGS. 11 and 12

Representations of sockets with different mechanical coding for attachment to contact portions of a circuit board.

In the Fig. 1 to 4 the housing of a socket of the prior art is shown and generally designated by the reference numeral 100.

The housing 100 initially forms a plug-in opening 101 for receiving a plug-in means, not shown. The plug-in opening 101 is formed by two parallel, mutually spaced walls, each supporting a contact spring 102 (contact bearing walls 109). Optional end walls 107 connect the contact bearing walls 109.

The plug-in means to be received by the plug-in opening 101 are usually a plug, a pin header or a plug connector PCB. Within the plug-in opening 101, a plurality of contact springs 102 are arranged in series next to each other. These go with not shown mating contacts of a plug means an electrical connection. The housing 100 itself is made of an insulating material, usually plastic. The contact bearing walls 109 form slot-like recesses 103 for the contact springs 102. The contact springs 102 are electrically isolated from one another by means of material webs 104 formed between the recesses 103.

Cable entry openings 105 are used to connect electrical conductors to the contact springs 102. For this purpose, the contact springs 102 are rearward, i. on its side facing away from the plug-in opening insulation displacement contacts, by means of which the contact springs 102 are contacted on inserted into the cable insertion opening 105 conductor.

In the Fig. 1 shown socket has various coding. These are first coding walls 106, which are integrally formed integrally with the housing 100 within the insertion opening or as its end wall 107. These extend into the housing 100 at least to the bottom. Further coding means in the form of coding lugs 108 form the housing 100 on the outside.

Basically, the basic idea of the invention relates to any mechanical coding means known from the prior art, for example the coding tabs 108. It is fundamentally advantageous if the coding means of the contact carriers, for example in the form of housing 100 or corresponding plug-in means, on or in these are stored interchangeably. Unless otherwise stated, however, the following description of the drawing refers to coding means in the form of coding walls 106 or their counterpart in the following description of exemplary embodiments according to the invention.

In the comparative consideration of the embodiment of the prior art according to Fig. 1 respectively. Fig. 2 and the Fig. 3 or 4 leaves the problems underlying the invention explain very well. The prior art according to Fig. 1 and 2 includes three coding walls 106, two of which form the end walls 107 of the housing 100. In contrast, the embodiment of the prior art according to the 3 and 4 only via two Kodierwände 106, namely designed as an end wall 107 and another mounted in the insertion opening Codierungswand 106. To the production of housings 100 with mechanical coding according to the embodiment of Fig. 1 and 2 to such a female connector housing 100 with mechanical coding according to the embodiment of 3 and 4 To change, it requires a considerable set-up effort on the production line.

Referring to the Fig. 5 to 12 Various embodiments of the invention will now be described, which remedy this disadvantage. A contact carrier, in the sense of claim 4, the first contact carrier is designated here in the form of a housing of a socket with the reference numeral 10.

The housing 10 of the socket comprises a made of insulating material, in particular plastic contact carrier 11, which serves a plug-in opening 12 for receiving a plug-in means, not shown, for example, a plug, a pin header or a printed circuit board section. As in the prior art according to Fig. 1 to 4 The housing 10 according to the invention is also formed by two parallel contact bearing walls 26, which are spaced apart from each other in a gap-forming manner, and possibly by end walls 24. Vertical to the insertion opening 12 are cable insertion 13, analogous to the reference numeral 105 of the prior art, formed by the conductor, not shown, are introduced for electrical contacting with stored in the insertion opening 12 contact springs 14. Following the Kabeleinführöffnungen 13 of the contact carrier 11 of the housing 10 cable holder 16 forms. By means of the cable holder 16, the cable ends can be arranged in parallel alignment with the insertion opening 12 on the contact carrier 11.

In the mouth region of the plug-in opening 12, the contact carrier 11 of the housing 10 forms externally circumferentially arranged, integrally cohesive Codieransätze 15. These correspond with recesses of a complementary plug-in housing and ensure a polarity-safe assembly of socket and plug-in housing.

Of particular importance are designated with 17 coding, which are pushed into the insertion opening 12. For this purpose, the contact bearing walls 26 within the insertion opening 12 initially in pairs against each other arranged guide grooves 19. These are oriented in the direction of insertion of the plug-in means, not shown, and receive corresponding wall sections 20 of the coding walls 18 for position stabilization. The Kodierwände 18 are provided in the insertion direction with locking means 21 which serve the anchorage in the bottom of the plug-in opening 22.

Like from the Fig. 5 and 6 it can be seen, the plug-in opening 12 is open at its narrow sides 23. Specially designed coding walls 18 form end walls 24, by means of which the narrow sides of the plug-in opening 12 can be closed for the purpose of plug coding.

Figure 6 shows an inventive housing 10 of a socket in a modified embodiment. The housing 10 of Fig. 6 has a slightly differently designed in detail contact carrier 11, wherein for the invention, only the differences described below are relevant.

First, it should be noted that the depth of the insertion opening 12 in the in Fig. 6 embodiment shown is less than that in Fig. 5 , The serving as the end walls 24 Codierwände 18 have in contrast to those of Fig. 5 on its lying in the direction of insertion end no locking means. Instead, in the direction of the contact bearing walls 26 facing wall portions 20, the end walls 24 are provided with locking shoulders 27. These engage behind corresponding projections 28 in the guide grooves 19, but in Fig. 6 Not are shown. Due to the smaller depth of the insertion opening 12 and the coding walls 18 are designed to be shorter overall.

In Fig. 7 are the coding walls 18 according to Fig. 5 shown in Fig. 8 are the coding walls 17 according to Fig. 6 shown. Attention is particularly paid to the coding walls 18 formed as end walls 24 in FIG Fig. 7 to lay. These have material weakening zones 29, against which a shortening section 30 adjoins the insertion direction or at the end facing away from the latching means 21.

In cases 10 according to Fig. 5 with a less deep plug-in opening 12 identical end walls 24 can be used. These are then cut before, during or after assembly by cutting along the material weakening zone 29 around the section 30 (see Fig. 7 ). A similar embodiment of the in Fig. 8 illustrated end walls 24 is conceivable, which then connects a not shown here sectioning section on the insertion opposite end.

In FIGS. 9 and 10 is the housing 10 of the socket according to Fig. 6 shown in a sectional view. In Fig. 9 the section is in the direction of insertion of the end wall 24 in the end wall plane, in Fig. 10 is the cut in the direction of insertion of the coding wall 18 in the plane.

Based on Fig. 9 can the latching of the end wall 24 in the housing 10 according to Fig. 6 clearly recognize. The guide grooves 19, in which the end wall 24 is inserted for the purpose of position stabilization, have projections 28 which are latched behind by the shoulders 27. This shows particularly clearly the detail enlargement IX of the Fig. 9 ,

The latching behavior of the coding wall 18, which is described in FIG Fig. 6 is shown. Again, this is inserted for the purpose of position stabilization in opposite, introduced into the contact bearing walls 26 guide grooves 19, but the latching takes place through an opening in the bottom 22 of the insertion opening 12. In the region of the opening There are latching projections 31 which are engaged behind in the inserted state of the Kodierstegs 18 of the latch hook 32. This condition is clear in the enlargement X of the Fig. 10 shown.

In the Fig. 11 and 12 Typical applications for the housing 10 according to the invention are shown. A plug-in means 35 in the form of a printed circuit board 34 has a contact zone 36 facing the housing 10 with a multiplicity of conductor tracks, not shown, arranged side by side. The contact zone is interrupted by coding means 17 in the form of recesses 37. Corresponding with the recesses 37 in the insertion of the insertion opening 12 inserted coding walls 18, also in the form of end walls 24. The arrangement is such that the housing 10 can be pushed in only one orientation to the contact zone 36 of the circuit board 34. The recesses 37 and coding walls 18 of housing 10 or circuit board 34 in the Fig. 11 and 12 each arranged in different positions. As a result, it is impossible, the housing 10 of the socket of Fig. 12 on the circuit board 34 of Fig. 11 or the housing of Fig. 11 on the circuit board 34 of Fig. 12 sit up. In this respect, the coding of printed circuit board 34 and housing 10 is not only the polarity-reversible placement at the respective point of the circuit board but also prevents the placement of a housing with different coding.

In summary, a contact carrier 11 has been shown in the form of a housing 10 of a socket, which can be produced as a standard component and the coding is done with coding 17 in the form of Kodierwänden 18 in retrospect. In production, this has the decisive advantage that only a few standard components without makeready times can be continuously produced at the production facilities. In contrast, in the production of generic connectors in the prior art for any desired coding to convert the production equipment, since there arranged within the insertion opening 12 Codierwände 18 are integrally formed cohesively with the contact carrier 11.

In addition, it is possible to color the relatively easy to produce Kodierwände 18 and to realize by inserting into a housing 10 with standard color and color coding. The coding walls 18 have only a small volume and are therefore easy vorhaltbar in larger quantities. The complex setup times on the production machines for producing differently colored contact carrier 11 or housing 10 is unnecessary. The connector according to the invention with coding 17, which are designed as separate components, allows a much more efficient production and storage.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

100

Housing a socket from the prior art

101

plug-in opening

102

contact spring

103

recess

104

material web

105

cable insertion

106

Kodierwand

107

Front wall v. 101

108

keying

109

Contact bearing wall

10

Inventive housing of a socket

11

contact support

12

plug-in opening

13

cable insertion

14

contact spring

15

Kodieransätze

16

cable holder

17

coding

18

Kodierwand

19

guide

20

Wall sections of 18

21

latching means

22

Bottom of the plug-in opening

23

Narrow sides of 12

24

end walls

25

Recording slot of 12

26

Contact bearing wall

27

locking shoulders

28

Projections of 19

29

Material weakening zone

30

reduction section

31

latching projections

32

latch hook

34

circuit board

35

plug means

36

contact zone

37

recess

Claims (14)

Plug connector, having a first contact carrier (11), in which contacts (14) are arranged, which enter into electrical contact with mating contacts of a second contact carrier (34) when the contact carriers are arranged, wherein the first contact carrier (11) comprises first coding means (17) which cooperate with second coding means (37) of the second contact carrier and ensure an arrangement of the contact carriers (11, 34) with respect to the connection of contacts (14) and mating contacts to one another, characterized in that at least one contact carrier (11) has a receptacle for having a designed as a separate component coding means (17). Connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the coding means (17) in the contact carrier (11) can be latched. Connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the contact carrier (11) has guides (19) which hold the coding means (17) in a positionally stable manner. Connector according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first contact carrier (11) is a housing (10) of a socket into which the coding means (17) is inserted. Connector according to claim 4, characterized in that the housing (10) on the bottom side locking means (31) for holding the coding means (17). Connector according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the coding means (17) is designed as a coding wall (18). Connector according to claim 6, characterized in that the housing (10) has pairs of mutually associated grooves (19), in the sub-regions (20) of the in the housing (10) inserted coding wall (18) engage for the purpose of position stabilization. Connector according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the coding wall (18) in the insertion direction end-side locking means (21, 31, 27) for stationary arrangement in the housing (10). Plug connector according to claim 6, characterized in that the coding wall (18) can be used as an end wall (24) when the housing (10) is open at the side. Plug connector according to one of Claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the coding wall (18) has a shortening section (30) placed over a material weakening zone (29), around which the coding wall (18) is inserted when used in a housing which is less deep than its length (Fig. 10) can be shortened. Connector according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the coding wall (18) at its standing with the housing (10) in contact longitudinal sides (20) has shoulders (27) which enter into a latching connection with housing-side projections (28). Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is a connector according to the RAST 5 or RAST 2.5 standard. Connector according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the coding means (17) is designed colored, wherein the coloring of a color coding on the second contact carrier (39) for the purpose of correct relative orientation of the contact carrier (11, 34) corresponds to each other. Connector according to claim 4, characterized in that the second contact carrier (34) is a plug-in means, in particular a plug or a printed circuit board (34).

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