EP2610976B1 - Connector for a data cable - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a data cable connector with a data cable.

US-A-2004/247252 teaches a generic plug with a front part body with a latching tongue, wherein the wires of the data cable lead to contacts of a Steckele- mentes, with a front part body with an overmold, which is attached tensile strength at the front end of the data cable to obtain a high tensile strength; a rear part of the body in the form of a slip-on sleeve which can be displaced on the data cable, with a forwardly directed latching tongue protection and a flexible kink protection for the data cable, with the partial bodies being pulled apart when the plug is pulled out at a region of the rear part of the body. The two partial bodies are locked by means of a pawl attached to the connector body, which is unlocked when the latch release is pulled. The pawl / trigger construction shown there is complex and requires great manufacturing effort.

From the German utility model DE 20 2004 019 870 U1 is a plug with latching tongue for a data cable is known, in which after the packaging is an encapsulation of the front portion of the data cable and the front plug element with plastic, said rear plastic encapsulation comprises a forwardly oriented protective arm for the latching tongue of the front plug element. In this connector with a rear plastic encapsulation, which carries a forward-facing protective arm for the locking tongue of the plug element, is disadvantageous that in practical use of the forward-oriented locking tabs protective arm of the rear plastic encapsulation often under the rearwardly facing latching tongue of the front plug element "crawls". The latching tongue of the front plug-in element can then no longer or only to a limited extent or impeded push down and the plug can then no longer or only very laboriously unlocked.

Another plug with latching tongue is from the US-B-5620335 known. He has an attachable kink protection for a data cable with conventional strain relief and a latching tongue protection on attachable kink protection. This strain relief can be improved.

The US Pat. No. 7,063,554 B2 describes a modular data connector in which a latching tongue protection part can be plugged onto a plug - there is a conventional cable strain relief necessary with the disadvantages of vulnerability and insufficiently stable Transmission power.

The US 5462457 B1 has an encapsulation with molded kink protection and an injected locking lug protection part, wherein the locking lug protection part must be inserted consuming prior to the production of the encapsulation in the injection mold. This means a considerable production cost.

The DE 19953494 C1 teaches a data cable connector with a one-piece overmold without latch protection, whereby the latch of the connector is prone to snagging and disconnection.

From the DE 10 2006035724 B4 is a multi-piece connector for a data cable with a front male element with a latching tongue, a front part body, which is attached to the front end of the data cable by extrusion coating to obtain a high tensile strength; a rear part of the body in the form of a Aufstecktülle with a forward-facing locking tongue protection and rear flexible kink protection for the data cable; and a forwardly projecting from the front part of the body plug element with a rearwardly directed latching tongue, known, wherein the front portion of the latching tongue protector extends beyond the top of the rear portion of the latching tongue at least partially. This plug is easy to manufacture, but has the disadvantage that it is difficult to extract in inaccessible places from sockets.

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a plug which comprises a conventional latching tongue and a latching tongue protector for a front plug-in latching tongue, wherein the plug is easy to handle in practical use and in particular easily unlocked.

According to the invention this object is achieved by a generic multi-part plug with the features of claim 1.

In this case, a connector according to the invention with a data cable, for example. An RJ45 plug, a conventional front plug-in element with a latching tongue, wherein the wires of the data cable lead to contacts of the plug element, comprising: a front part body with an encapsulation, the tensile strength at the front end the data cable is attached to the male member to obtain a high tensile strength;
a rear part body in the form of a Aufstecktülle with a forward-facing locking tab protection and a flexible kink protection for the data cable; an angularly bent actuating lever on the front part of the body, the axis of rotation is mounted in the extrusion and presses with a Hebelarmende on the locking tongue and is guided with the other Hebelarmende in an operating lever guide of the locking tongue protection, wherein on the front of the locking tongue protection in the connected state of the plug the actuating side of the actuating lever is located and when pulling out of the plug at an area of the rear body part - eg the kink protection - the operating lever is actuated by the operating lever guide to pressure on the latching tongue releasing the Steckerverrastung in a socket and the data cable plug unlocked is pulled out.

Thus, without touching the latching tongue exclusively by pulling on the kink protection of the cable, a pressing of the actuating lever on the latching tongue with the release of the plug from a socket done. This advantageous unlocking solution for the connector allows a considerably simplified handling of the assembled cable even in tight patch fields or inaccessible cable channel connections.

When plug, the rear part of the body may have at least one recess or recess and the front part of body at least one projection having corresponding locations for snapping, clipping or nesting, when the rear part of the body is pushed onto the front part body to its end position.

However, in the case of the plug, the rear part body may also have one or more projections and the front part body may have one or more recesses or recesses which have mutually corresponding locations for the purpose of latching, clipping or nesting when the rear part body is pushed onto the front part body to its end position is.

When plug, the rear part of the body in the side region and / or its underside have one or more recesses for engagement with at least one projection of the front part body, wherein the recess and the projection at mutually corresponding locations in one another snapping or clipping or nesting, when the rear part body on the front part of the body is pushed to its end position.

In the invention, in contrast to all known push-pull plug variants, a standard plug can be used without any change. This means a significant price advantage. Many users of the plug type and the connector manufacturer is given, and there the invention can be used in full, since no changes to the plug are necessary. The invention describes a push-pull variant, which is particularly space-saving due to its construction and thus can be used even at very high packing densities.

The front, molded part body usually consists essentially of thermoplastic Material, as well as the rear part body. The preferably provided with the rear part of the body kink protection may consist of the same material.

For example. the front part body 7 may have a front portion 17 and a rear portion 18 opposite thereto; wherein the front portion has a male member and the rear portion 18 serves to receive the data cable 2.

In one embodiment, the height and the width of the rear portion 18 of the front part body 7 to a stepless transition between the surface of the rear part of the body 8 and the surface of the front portion 17 of the front part body are at least lower by the wall thickness of the rear part body, be. The protrusions 12 provided on the front part body 7 may be attached to the outside on the rear part 18 of the front part body 7 for connection to the rear part body 8.

The rear portion 18 of the front part of the body 7 can be completely enclosed by the rear part of the body 8 in the assembled, deferred final state - even with window-like recesses.

Preferably, the longitudinal axis of the locking tongue protector 9 of the rear part of the body 8 is aligned in the side view and in plan view parallel to the longitudinal axis of the plug 1, wherein the locking tongue protector 9 has an operating lever guide 5, which in pushing the two body parts 7, 8 in the encapsulation 30 of the body part 7 pivotally mounted actuating lever 20 pivots to release the latching tongue locking and when pulling the part body 7, 8, the angled pressure lever 20 for pressing down the latching tongue 4 pivots.

• Fig. 1a - 1d, perspektivische Explosionszeichnungen des erfindungsgemäßen Steckers beim Zusammenbau in seitlicher Ansicht, in Ansicht vom Datenkabel her, in perspektivischer Ansicht sowie ein Detail des Betätigungshebels und der Umspritzung 30;
• Fig. 2 eine perspektivische Zeichnung der beiden bereits zusammengebauten ineinanderzuschiebenden Steckerteile 7, 8 in seitlicher Ansicht, in Ansicht vom Datenkabel her, in perspektivischer Ansicht sowie ein Detail des in die Umspritzung 30 eingesetzten Betätigungshebels
• Fig. 3a-c einen Längsschnitt durch den zusammengebauten mehrteiligen Stecker, wobei in Fig. 3a der zusammengesteckte Stecker, in Fig. 3b der Stecker während des Ziehens amr Abschnitt 8 und Fig. 3c den vollständig an der Knickschutzumspritzung herausgezogenen Stecker mit heruntergedrückter Rastzunge;
• Fig. 4 den zusammengebauten Stecker im Längsschnitt, perspektivischer Ansicht vom Kabel her und von vorne; und
• Fig. 5 den Stecker im zusammengeschobenen Zustand.

Embodiments of the invention, to which it is by no means limited, are described below with reference to the drawing. Show:

• Fig. 1a - 1d , Expected exploded views of the connector according to the invention when assembled in a side view, in view of the data cable ago, in perspective view and a detail of the actuating lever and the encapsulation 30;
• Fig. 2 a perspective drawing of the two already assembled telescoping connector parts 7, 8 in a side view, in view of the data cable ago, in a perspective view and a detail of the operating lever inserted into the encapsulation 30
• Fig. 3a-c a longitudinal section through the assembled multi-part plug, wherein in Fig. 3a the plugged connector, in Fig. 3b the plug while pulling amr section 8 and Fig. 3c the fully pulled out at the anti-buckling plug with pushed down locking tongue;
• Fig. 4 the assembled plug in longitudinal section, perspective view of the cable and from the front; and
• Fig. 5 the plug in the collapsed state.

The plug according to the invention can be used on a data cable.

How out Fig. 1 shows, the multi-part plug according to the invention comprises a conventional front plug-in element and a latching tongue 4 for cooperation with a socket or header.

The plug according to the invention comprises a front, sprayed-on partial body 7 and a separate rear partial body 8 in the form of a plug-on sleeve which can be attached to the front partial body 7 and has a latching tongue protector 9.

In general, the front part of the body 7 is attached to the front end of the data cable 2, for example by encapsulation of the data cable 2 in order to obtain high tensile strength. In contrast to the front part of body 7 of the rear part of the body 8 is not coupled to the front part of the body 7 state as displaceable on the data cable Aufstecktülle with locking tongue protection formed (see Fig. 1 ).

It can be seen from the figures that the rear part of the body 8 can be completely or at least partially brought into frictional and / or positive, reversible or irreversible engagement with the front part body 7.

Fig. 2 shows that the rear part of body 8 usually has a forwardly oriented locking tongue protector 9 for the rear-aligned locking tongue 4 of the front part of the body 7 with the plug element.

Fig. 2 and 3 It can be seen that the front portion of the locking tongue protector 9 projects beyond the upper side of the rear region of the latching tongue 4, as a rule completely or in sections.

For safe guidance of the actuating lever by the actuating guide 5 in the latching tongue protector 9, the material of the rear part of the body 8 with the latching tongue protection is preferably chosen relatively hard, wherein the modulus of elasticity, for example in the range of 1.0 kiloNewton / mm ² to 4.0 kiloNewton / mm ² , preferably in the range of 2.0 kiloNewton / mm ² to 3.9 kiloNewton / mm ² , in particular in the range of 3.0 kiloNewton / mm ² to 3.8 kiloNewton / mm ² .

The Fig. 1 . 2 and. 5 It can be seen that the rear part of the body 8 one or more recesses 11 or recesses and the front part of body 7 may have one or more projections 12.

In general, these recesses 11 and projections 12 are provided at mutually corresponding locations for the purpose of latching, Einclipsens or nesting, provided that the rear part of body 8 is pushed onto the front part of body 7 to its end position.

In particularly preferred embodiments of the connector according to the invention, the rear part body 8 may have one or more projections 12 and the front part body 7 one or more recesses or recesses 11, wherein these projections 12 and recesses or recesses 11 at mutually corresponding locations for snapping, clipping or Nesting are provided, provided that the rear part of the body 8 is pushed onto the front part of body 7 to its end position.

The front, molded part body 7 may, for example, consist essentially of a thermoplastic, preferably an elastic thermoplastic.

In general, the front part of body 7 is slightly softer and more elastic than the rear part of body 8, wherein the modulus of elasticity of the front part body 7, for example in the range of 0.5 kiloNewton / mm ² to 3.0 kiloNewton / mm ² , preferably in the range of 0 , 6 kiloNewton / mm ² to 2.5 kiloNewton / mm ² , in particular in the range of 0.7 kiloNewton / mm ² to 2.0 kiloNewton / mm ² , may lie.

The rear part of the body 8 may for example consist essentially of a thermoset or Be thermoplastic.

alternative

In general, the rear part of the body 8 is at least slightly harder than the softer and more elastic front part body 7 is formed, wherein the modulus of elasticity of the rear part body, for example in the range of 2.5 kiloNewton / mm ² to 4.0 kiloNewton / mm ² , preferably in the range from 2.8 kiloNewton / mm ² to 3.9 kiloNewton / mm ² , in particular in the range of 3.0 kiloNewton / mm ² to 3.8 kiloNewton / mm ² .

The formed on the rear part of body 8, preferably one-piece anti-buckling 10 may preferably be made of a material that is listed above under "material for the rear body part". The front molded part body 7 may include a front portion 17 and a rear portion 18, wherein the front portion 17 has a male member and the rear portion 18 serves to receive the data cable 2.

From the Fig. 1 . Fig. 2 , and Fig. 3 shows that the front portion 17 of the front, molded part body 7 for depressing the latching tongue 4 of the plug element has an actuating lever 20, mounted in the encapsulation 30.

Figure 3 shows in longitudinal section, as the actuating lever 20 acts on the latching tongue 9 of the plug element.

Fig. 4a-c shows the plug 1 in the inserted state in different views. It can clearly be seen that the actuating lever 20 rests only on the latching tongue 4.

Fig. 5 shows the plug 1 in the pulled-out state in different views. It can clearly be seen that the actuating lever 20 presses down the latching tongue 4.

In particular from Fig. 1 shows that the provided on the molded front part body 7 projections 11 for non-positive and / or positive connection with the rear, formed in the form of Aufstecktülle 10 part body 8 are preferably mounted on the outside of the rear portion 18 of the front, molded part body 7 ,

The figures show that the longitudinal axis of the locking tongue protector 9 of the rear, in the form of a Aufstecktülle 10 formed part body 8 is aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the plug 1.
From the figures also shows that the integral with the rear part of body 8 kink protection 10 has the form of a flexible tubular or tubular sleeve with many slot-shaped, offset from each other for the purpose of a bending ability arranged recesses.

In summary, it should be noted that in the context of the present invention, a plug is provided which comprises a rear latching tongue protector and an actuating lever for a front, plug-side latching tongue 4, wherein for the rear latching tongue protection even in rough practical use by the choice of a suitable modulus of elasticity of the material the rear part of the body 8 and the attached locking tongue protector 9 ensures that it can actuate the actuating lever 20.

This particularly advantageous feature of the inventive connector, to unlock the same by simply pulling on the rear part of the body, is effected in particular by the relatively hard design of the locking tongue protector 9 with actuating lever guide 5 of the rear part of the body 8.

It is also advantageous in the case of the plug according to the invention that, owing to the plastic encapsulation of the front plug-in element-without an otherwise dreaded mechanical pinching of the data cable-it has a particularly effective and reliable strain relief. The plastic encapsulation of the front plug element also leads to a particularly pronounced stability of the inventive connector.

Since the outwardly appearing color of the inventive plug 1 is essentially determined by the color of the rear, designed in the form of Aufstecktülle part body, the front plastic encapsulation of the front part body can always run in one and the same color despite different colors of the complete connector be, for example in black.

A caused by the change in the exterior color time-consuming, tedious and costly conversion of the connector spraying machine during the plug production and an interruption of the connector production is therefore not required in the inventive connector. A change of the connector color is in the inventive connector rather particularly simple, fast, effortless and inexpensive by using a suitably colored, rear and designed in the form of Aufstecktülle part body possible. Color variants of the inventive connector are thus preferably colored rear, formed in the form of Aufstecktüllen part body 8 realized.

A particular advantage of the connector according to the invention is further to be seen in the fact that customer logos, customer-specific labels or other markings are effortlessly, quickly and easily attachable in or on the front encapsulation of the front plug element, for example by printing or stamp in the mold. The modular system of the connector 1 according to the invention also makes it possible to use a custom rear part body 8 designed in the form of a slip-on sleeve 10, optionally with OEM design, which has one or more cutouts in the form of fields for customer-specific inscriptions the just described, provided on the outside of the front encapsulation of the front plug element markings are visually and / or haptically recognizable.

Although the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is in no way limited to the illustrated embodiments, but extends to those of ordinary skill in the art within the scope of the claims

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

plug

2

data cable

4

Snap tongue of 7

5

Actuation guide in 9

6

contacts

7

front partial body of 1

8th

rear part of 1 (Aufstecktülle)

9

Tongue protection of the rear part of the body. 8

10

Flexible kink protection on the rear part of the body. 8

11

Locking element (recesses or recesses) on 8

12

Locking element on part body 7 (protrusions)

17

front section of 7

18

rear section of 7

20

actuating lever

30

Encapsulation on 7

Claims (10)

1. Connector (1) with a data cable (2), having a front partial body (7) with a snap-in tongue (4), whereas the wires of the data cable (2) lead to contacts (6) of a plug-in element, comprising:

   a front partial body (7) with an overmold (30), which is tightly attached to the front end of the data cable (2), ensuring a high tensile strength;

   a rear partial body (8) in the form of a slip-on cap with a protective cover for the snap-in tongue (9) directed towards the front, and a flexible anti-kink protection (10) for the data cable;

   an angularly bent actuating lever (20) at the front partial body (7) whose rotational axis is supported in the overmold (30), that is pressing with one end of the lever arm onto the snap-in tongue (4) and is guided with the other end of the lever arm inside an actuating lever guide (5) of the snap-in tongue protective cover (9),

   wherein, in the connected state state of the connector (1), the actuation side of the actuating lever (20) lies on the front area of the snap-in tongue protective cover (9), and wherein, when the connector (1) is pulled out at a part of the rear partial body (8), through pulling apart the partial bodies, the actuating lever (20) is actuated through the actuating lever guide (5), to press on the snap-in tongue (4), with the lock connection in a bushing being released, and the data cable plug can be pulled out in an unlocked state.
2. Connector (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear partial body (8) has at least one notch (11) or recess and the front partial body (7) has at least one projection (12), which have respectively corresponding parts for engaging, clipping-in or inserting them into each other, when the rear partial body (8) is slid onto the front partial body (7) until it has reached its final position.
3. Connector (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the rear partial body (8) comprises one or more protrusions and the front partial body (7) has one or more recesses or indentations, which have respectively corresponding parts for the purpose of engaging, clipping-in or inserting them into each other, when the rear partial body (8) is slid onto the front partial body (7) until it has reached its final position.
4. Connector (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rear partial body (8) has one or more recesses (15) for engagement with at least one protrusion (16) of the front partial body (7) in its side area (13) and/or on its bottom side (14), wherein the recess (15) and the protrusion (16) engage with each other or clip in or are inserted into each other at respectively corresponding points when the rear partial body (8) is slid onto the front partial body (7) until it has reached its final position.
5. Connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the front partial body (7) has a front section (17) and a facing rear section (18), wherein the frontal section (17) serves for receiving the plug-in element and the rear section (18) serves for receiving the data cable (2).
6. Connector (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the front section (17) of the front partial body (7) has a recess (19) to press down the snap-in tongue (4) in the pivoting range of the snap-in tongue (4).
7. Connector (1) according to one of the claims 5 or 6, characterized in that the height and width of the rear section (18) of the front partial body (7) are smaller by at least the wall thickness of the rear partial body (8), so as to ensure a stepless transition between the surface of the rear partial body (8) and the surface of the front section (17) of the frontal partial body (7).
8. Connector (1) according to one of the claims 5, 6 or 7, characterized in that the protrusions (12) provided at the front partial body (7) are attached externally on the rear section (18) of the front partial body (7) for the connection with the rear partial body (8).
9. Connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rear section (18) of the front partial body (7) is enclosed by the rear partial body (8) in its assembled and connected state.
10. Connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the anti-kink protection (10) of the rear partial body (8) which is not attached to the cable (2) is formed as a flexible elastic sleeve with cutouts in the cable area.

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