EP2959550B1 - Contact carrier having an insulating sleeve - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a contact carrier with an electrical contact and with a lower part for holding the electrical contact.

Such contact carriers are used to make an electrically conductive connection between the electrical contact and a printed circuit board. The electrical contact may be e.g. be designed as a socket or plug. The electrical contact is located in an insulating sleeve, which may have a mechanical coding. In this case, the mechanical coding can be designed corresponding to a mechanical counter-coding in order to enable only one connection of a socket or plug with the correct coding. However, this prevents a change from one pair consisting of coding and counter coding to another pair consisting of different coding and corresponding counter coding.

The publication EP 0 747 998 A2 relates to a connector with a pin header and a cover, which is placed on the pin header.

The publication US 7,637,777 B1 relates to a connector assembly having a mounting body and with contacts, wherein the contacts are insertable into openings of the fastening body. Further, a connecting body is placed on the contacts.

The publication EP 1 527 764 A2 relates to a bathing unit controller and associated connector system.

The publication EP 0 392 629 A1 relates to a connector assembly having a female part and a male part.

The publication US 7,559,791 B1 relates to a printed circuit board connector with identifiable letters.

The publication US 2012/0295490 A1 relates to a system for connecting two printed circuit boards.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a contact carrier which is more versatile in use.

This object is achieved by the subject matter having the features of the independent claim. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

The present invention is based on the recognition that an insulating sleeve can be easily and quickly replaced by another insulating sleeve by a removable formed insulating.

According to a first aspect, the object is achieved in that a contact carrier has an electrical contact and a lower part for holding the electrical contact, wherein a removable insulating sleeve can be placed on the electrical contact. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that the insulating sleeve can be separated from the contact carrier and replaced if necessary. This increases flexibility.

In an advantageous embodiment, the insulating sleeve has a passage for electrically contacting the electrical contact. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that a simple assembly and disassembly of the insulating sleeve is given.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the insulating sleeve has a coding which identifies the contact carrier by a feature. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that an assignment of the respective electrical contacts to certain functions is simplified.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the feature is a color coding or a mechanical coding. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that in the case of a color coding by the simple optical marking, the assignment of the respective electrical contacts to certain functions is greatly simplified. On the other hand, if the feature is a mechanical coding, reverse polarity protection is provided, and by replacing the insulating sleeve it is possible to make an adaptation to the corresponding mechanical coding of a counterpart of a male-female connection.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the contact carrier is an SMD contact carrier (surface-mounted device, surface-mounted component). Thereby, the technical advantage is achieved that electrical contacts can be formed by positioning and subsequent soldering in a furnace by machine.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the contact carrier has an electrical contact and a contact arm which is electrically conductively connected to the electrical contact, wherein the contact arm comprises a tolerance compensation section and a contact formed on the tolerance compensation section for electrically contacting the electrical contact with a contact surface. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that the tolerance compensation section compensates for incorrect positioning by blurring. In surface mounting technology (SMT) solderable pads of the contact carrier are soldered directly onto printed circuit board conductors. For this purpose, the conductor track sections are printed on a printed circuit board, which serve as connection surfaces, before soldering, for example by means of screen or stencil printing with solder paste. After this Equipping with the contact carrier, the pads are soldered together to connect them electrically conductive. However, so-called blurring may occur during soldering. Due to the blurring, the contact carrier is not at the desired position on the circuit board after soldering, but the contact carrier is moved, for example, in the X and Y directions. Furthermore, an error in the rotation angle of the contact carrier can occur. In this case, the contact carrier has rotated around its own vertical axis. Thus, the production yield is increased by the tolerance compensation section.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the contact arm extends laterally or radially from the electrical contact. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that the contact carrier has compact dimensions and therefore takes up little space to complete.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the electrical contact extends in a first direction, and the contact arm extends in a second direction, wherein the first direction and the second direction at an angle, in particular at an angle of 90 ° C, within an angle within an angular tolerance range are arranged. The angle tolerance range can have production-related tolerances and, for example, 5%, 10% or 15% of e.g. 90 °. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that the contact carrier is particularly easy to manufacture.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the contact foot extends within an angular tolerance range in the second direction. The angle tolerance range can have production-related tolerances and be, for example, 5%, 10% or 15%. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that the contact carrier can be made even more compact and thus even less space is claimed.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the tolerance compensation section is mechanically deformable. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that the tolerance compensation section can be deformed by occurring during soldering forces and compensate these.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the tolerance compensation section is elastically or plastically deformable. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that can be compensated by an elastic deformability occurring only during soldering deformation due to thermally induced stresses, while the plastic deformability permanent malpositions can be compensated.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the contact foot is connected to the electrical contact by means of the tolerance compensation section. This achieves the technical advantage that the tolerance compensation section is arranged between the contact foot and the electrical contact. Thus, the contact carrier has a particularly simple structure.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the tolerance compensation section comprises a bending arc, in particular a U-shaped bend. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that in a compact design, a tolerance compensation section to compensate for large tolerances is provided, which is easy to manufacture.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the contact foot on the tolerance compensation section is arranged at an angle at an angle. Thereby, the technical advantage is achieved that can be particularly easily deformed by the angled arrangement of the tolerance compensation section to the contact foot of the tolerance compensation section at this point to compensate for tolerances.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the contact foot is arranged below the tolerance compensation section. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that the contact carrier is particularly easy to attach with the contact foot on a circuit board.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the contact foot is formed on the tolerance compensation section elastically or plastically deformable. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that by elastic deformability occurring only during soldering deformation due to thermally induced stresses can be compensated, while the plastic deformability permanent misalignments can be compensated.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the contact foot is a Lötpadfuß. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that with the contact foot a solder joint can be formed easily.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the electrical contact is a contact socket or a contact plug. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that contact sockets or contact plug correctly positioned on a circuit board and their electrical contacts can be electrically connected to this.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the contact has a lower part, in which the electrical contact is held. Thereby, the technical advantage is achieved that the contact carrier is positioned on the electrical contact during soldering.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the lower part has a radial recess for receiving the contact arm. As a result, the technical advantage is achieved that the recess ensures positioning of the contact arm and thus of the contact carrier.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the contact carrier has a plurality of electrical contacts, which are each electrically conductively connected to a contact. Thereby, the technical advantage is achieved that simultaneously a plurality of contacts can be formed simultaneously.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung eines Kontaktträgers,

Fig. 2

eine Explosionsdarstellung des Kontaktträgers,

Fig. 3

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Kontaktstiftes,

Fig. 4

eine Seitenansicht des Kontaktstiftes,

Fig. 5

eine Unteransicht des Kontaktstiftes,

Fig. 6

einen Schnitt durch einen Abschnitt des Kontaktstiftes,

Fig. 7

eine Isolierhülse mit einer ersten Kodierung,

Fig. 8

eine Isolierhülse mit einer zweiten Kodierung,

Fig. 9

eine Isolierhülse mit einer dritten Kodierung,

Fig. 10

eine Isolierhülse mit einer vierten Kodierung,

Fig. 11

eine Ansicht der Oberseite des Unterteils, und

Fig. 12

eine Ansicht der Unterseite des Unterteils.

Further embodiments will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of a contact carrier,

Fig. 2

an exploded view of the contact carrier,

Fig. 3

a perspective view of a contact pin,

Fig. 4

a side view of the contact pin,

Fig. 5

a bottom view of the contact pin,

Fig. 6

a section through a portion of the contact pin,

Fig. 7

an insulating sleeve with a first coding,

Fig. 8

an insulating sleeve with a second coding,

Fig. 9

an insulating sleeve with a third coding,

Fig. 10

an insulating sleeve with a fourth coding,

Fig. 11

a view of the top of the base, and

Fig. 12

a view of the bottom of the base.

Fig. 1 shows a contact carrier 100, which comprises three contact pins 102, an insulating sleeve 104, a lower part 106 and a cap nut 108 in the present embodiment. In Fig. 1 Of the three contact pins only one is designated by the reference numeral 102.

In the present embodiment, the contact carrier 100 is formed to form a socket for a female-to-male connection which can be mounted on a printed circuit board (not shown) by SMT technology. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the contact carrier 100 is formed as an SMD contact carrier (surface-mounted device, surface-mounted device).

In the present exemplary embodiment, the contact pin 102 is made in one piece from metal, for example copper or a copper-containing alloy, for example by stamping and bending. The contact pin 102 has an electrical contact 128 in the present Embodiment as a contact socket 130 is formed and thus for receiving an electrical pin contact (not shown) of a plug (not shown) is formed. Further, the contact pin 102 has a contact foot 132, which is formed in the present embodiment as Lötpadfuß 134, with a known SMT technology solder joint for producing an electrically conductive connection with a contact surface, such as a conductor of a circuit board can be produced. Between the contact foot 132 and the electrical contact 128 and the contact socket 130, a contact arm 136 and a tolerance compensation section 138 is arranged.

The insulating sleeve 104 is made in the present embodiment of an electrically insulating material, such as a plastic material, for example by injection molding. Furthermore, the insulating sleeve 104 has a coding 118, which is formed in the present embodiment by a plurality of depressions, which form a mechanical coding in order to ensure a polarity-protected contact. Through the insulating sleeve 104 extend in the present embodiment, five through channels 116, of which in Fig. 1 only one through-channel is designated by the reference numeral 116.

The lower part 106 is made in the present embodiment of a high temperature stable plastic, so that the lower part 106 undergoes no damage or deformation during an SMT soldering. The lower part 106 has in the present embodiment, five through holes 124, of which in Fig. 1 only one through opening is designated by the reference numeral 124. In the present embodiment, one of the through-openings 124, each with one of the through-channels 106 forms a passage. Furthermore, the lower part 106 has a recesses 126 arranged on its underside 122, of which one each is assigned to one of the through-channels 106 and which extend radially in the present exemplary embodiment.

The Fig. 1 shows that the electrical contact socket 130 is located in the through-channel 116, while the contact arm 136 is received in the recess 126, which is formed on a lower side 122 of the lower part 106.

At the top 120 of the lower part 106, a union nut 108 is arranged, which has an internal thread 110 for producing a screw connection with the plug. Further, in the present embodiment, the union nut 108 has an inner seal 112 and an outer seal 114 for liquid-tight sealing.

The elastic or plastic deformability of the tolerance compensation section 138 ensures that the contact foot 132 or soldering pad foot 134 in all three directions, i. in the X, Y, Z directions is displaceable to compensate for blurring during an SMT soldering process. The tolerance compensation section 138 may be e.g. Compensate for fault tolerances in a range of 0.1 to 1 mm. In the present embodiment, the tolerance compensation section 138 allows to compensate for error tolerances of 0.5 mm.

Fig. 2 shows the contact carrier 100 in an exploded view.

It can be seen that the insulating sleeve 104 positioning pins 200 which engage in positioning holes 202 of the lower part 106.

The Fig. 3 to 5 show the contact pin 102.

The contact pin 102 has a first end 300, on which the electrical contact 128 is arranged. The electrical contact 128 is formed in the present embodiment as a contact socket 130 and for this purpose has two opposing contact tongues 304a, 304b, which in the Fig. 3 and 4 Positions shown are resiliently biased and are elastically deformable by inserting a pin contact and then hold them by spring force. Furthermore, the contact pin 102 has a channel 306 for receiving such a pin contact.

The insertion movement of a pin contact into the contact socket 130 formed by the contact tongues 304a, 304b and into the channel 306 extends in a first direction I in which the contact pin 102 extends.

The contact arm 136 of the contact pin 102 extends in the present embodiment in a second direction II. In the present embodiment the second direction II extends at an angle α of 90 ° to the first direction I (see Fig. 3 and 4 ).

In the present exemplary embodiment, the contact arm 136 comprises a bend 308, a connecting section 310 adjoining the bend 308 and an arc section 312.

The bend 308 forms in the present embodiment an angle γ of 30 °, while in the present embodiment, the arc portion 312 forms an angle δ of 90 ° (see Fig. 5 ). In this case, in the present embodiment, both the bend 308 and the arcuate portion 312 are bent about an axis which is parallel to the first direction I.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the tolerance compensation section 138 is arranged between the contact arm 136 and the contact foot 132 designed as a solder pad foot 134.

The tolerance compensation section 138 comprises in the present embodiment, a bending arc 314, which is formed in the present embodiment as a U-shaped bend 316, and an angled portion 318th

The U-shaped bend 316 is bent in the present embodiment about an axis which extends parallel to the first direction I. Further, in the present embodiment, the U-shaped bend 316 is formed as an angle ε of 180 ° (see Fig. 5 ).

The angled portion 318, in contrast, is angled in the present embodiment at an angle β of 90 °, wherein the axis about which the angled portion 318 is bent, both at a right angle to the first direction I and at a right angle to the second direction II extends (see Fig. 4 ). Thus, in the present embodiment, the adjoining the angled portion 318 contact foot 132 has an extension direction, which lies in the direction of the second direction II. Thus, the contact foot 132 can be displaced in all three spatial axes with respect to the electrical contact 128 by up to 0.5 mm.

Furthermore, the show Fig. 3 to 5 in that, in the present exemplary embodiment, the contact foot 132 is arranged in the first direction I below the tolerance compensation section 138. Thus, in the present embodiment, the electrical contact 128 and the contact root 132 lie at opposite ends, namely the first end 300 and the second end 302 of the contact pin 102.

Fig. 6 shows a section through the first end 300 of the contact pin 102. It can be seen that the contact pin 102 is hollow below the contact tongues 304a, 304b and therefore has the channel 306. In the present embodiment, the channel 306 is closed by a Vergussmassensperre 500 so that no potting compound, such as adhesive, for example, during an assembly process in the channel 306 can pass. The Vergussmassensperre 500 is formed in the present embodiment of a sheet metal portion of the contact pin 102 which has been stamped and folded into the channel 306.

The Fig. 7 to 10 show various embodiments of the insulating sleeve 104 with five through channels 116 (see Fig. 7 . 8th and 9 ) or four passageways 116 (see Fig. 10 ).

Each of the insulating sleeves 104 has a coding 118 which identifies the contact carrier 100 by a feature. In the present embodiment, the feature is a mechanical coding.

It shows the Fig. 7 an insulating sleeve 104 with a coding 118, which is formed in the present embodiment as A-encoding 600 for an M5 connector. The Fig. 8 shows an insulating sleeve 104 with a coding 118, which is formed in the present embodiment as a B-coding 700 for an M5 connector. The Fig. 9 shows an insulating sleeve 104 with a coding 118, which is formed in the present embodiment as a D-coding 800 for a M5 connector. The Fig. 10 Finally, shows an insulating sleeve 104 with a coding 118, which is formed in the present embodiment as T-coding 900 for a M5 connector.

In alternative embodiments, the insulating sleeve may also be designed for other connectors, e.g. for an M8 plug or an M12 plug.

The insulating sleeve 104 is detachably mounted on the electrical contact 128 in the present embodiment. Thus, the insulating sleeve 104 may be separated from the contact carrier 100 and replaced as needed to accommodate the coding 104, for example, to make a change from the A-code 600 to the B-code 700. Further, additionally or alternatively, the insulating sleeves 104 may be colored differently, which simplifies a simple optical assignment of the function of the respective electrical contacts 128 to certain functions.

Fig. 11 shows the top of the lower part 106. It can be seen that in the present embodiment, the top 120 has the positioning holes 202 adjacent to the present embodiment five through holes 124 for holding a respective contact pin 102.

Fig. 12 shows the bottom 122 of the lower part 106. In addition to the positioning holes 202 and the through holes 124 can be seen that five recesses 126 are provided in the present embodiment, in which the contact arm 136 of a contact pin inserted into the through hole 124 can be stored 102.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

100

contact support

102

pin

104

insulating sleeve

106

lower part

108

Nut

110

inner thread

112

inner seal

114

outer seal

116

Through channel

118

coding

120

top

122

bottom

124

Through opening

126

recess

128

electric contact

130

Contact socket

132

contact foot

134

Lötpadfuß

136

contact

138

Tolerance compensation section

200

positioning

202

positioning

300

first end

302

second end

304a

contact tongue

304b

contact tongue

306

channel

308

kink

310

connecting portion

312

arc section

314

bending arc

316

U-shaped bend

318

angled section

500

Vergussmassensperre

600

A-coding

700

B-coding

800

D-coding

900

T-coding

α

angle

β

angle

γ

angle

δ

angle

ε

angle

X

X-direction

Y

Y-direction

Z

Z-direction

I

first direction

II

second direction

Claims (18)

1. Contact carrier (100) comprising an electrical contact (128) and a lower part (106) for electrically contacting the electrical contact (128), wherein a removable insulating sleeve (104) is placeable on the electrical contact (128);
   wherein the contact carrier (100) comprises a contact arm (136), which is connected with the electrical contact (128) in an electrically conducting manner, wherein the contact arm (136) comprises a tolerance-compensating portion (138) and a contact base (132) formed onto the tolerance-compensating portion (138) for electrically contacting the electrical contact (128) with a contact surface;
   wherein the contact arm (136) extends laterally or radially from the electrical contact (128); and
   wherein the tolerance-compensating portion (138) is elastically or plastically deformable, so that the contact base (132) is displaceable in all three directions.
2. Contact carrier (100) according to claim 1, wherein the insulating sleeve (104) comprises a passage channel (116) for electrically contacting the electrical contact (128).
3. Contact carrier (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the insulating sleeve (104) comprises a coding (118), which characterizes the contact carrier (100) by a feature.
4. Contact carrier (100) according to claim 3, wherein the feature is a color coding or a mechanical coding.
5. Contact carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact carrier (100) is an SMD contact carrier.
6. Contact carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electrical contact (128) extends in a first direction (I), and the contact arm (136) extends in a second direction (II), wherein the first direction (I) and the second direction (II) are arranged at an angle (α), in particular an angle of 90°, within an angle tolerance range.
7. Contact carrier (100) according to claim 6, wherein the contact base (132) extends in the second direction (II) within an angle tolerance range.
8. Contact carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tolerance-compensating portion (138) is mechanically deformable.
9. Contact carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact base (132) is connected to the electrical contact (128) by means of the tolerance-compensating portion (138).
10. Contact carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tolerance-compensating portion (138) comprises a bent arc (314), in particular a U-shaped bend (316).
11. Contact carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact base (132) is arranged in an angled manner onto the tolerance-compensating portion (138) at an angle (β).
12. Contact carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact base (132) is arranged below the tolerance-compensating portion (138).
13. Contact carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact base (132) is formed onto the tolerance-compensating portion (138) in an elastically or plastically deformable manner.
14. Contact carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact base (132) is a soldering-pad base (134).
15. Contact carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the electrical contact (128) is a contact socket (130) or a contact plug.
16. Contact carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact carrier (100) comprises a lower part (106), in which the electrical contact (128) is supported.
17. Contact carrier (100) according to claim 16, wherein the lower part (106) comprises a radial recess (126) for accommodating the contact arm (136).
18. Contact carrier (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact carrier (100) comprises a plurality of electrical contacts (128), each of which is connected to a contact in an electrically conducting manner.

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