EP3108546B1 - System comprising a contact carrier and a corresponding contact carrier - Google Patents

Description

The invention is based on a system comprising a contact carrier and a corresponding contact carrier.

Such systems of a contact carrier and a corresponding contact carrier are required in the connection and connection technology to accommodate contacts in, preferably connectors. The contact carrier serves to receive contact elements, such as electrical, pneumatic or optical contacts.

The contact carrier has cavities in which the contact elements are received and secured. The cavities are usually designed as holes that completely penetrate the contact carrier. Thus, on one side of the contact carrier, the connection side, a conductor with the received in the cavity contact element can be conductively connected.

On the side opposite the connection side, designed as a plug side, the contact element received in the cavity is provided for contacting with a second contact carrier. The second contact carrier is preferably also received in a connector which is connectable to the connector of the first contact carrier.

Depending on the design of the connector and the contact carrier, it is also conceivable to arrange various contact elements in a contact carrier. Thus, the contacting and transmission of, for example, power and signal lines can be realized simultaneously.

In a particular embodiment of the contact carrier, these are designed as modules. Several of these modules can be combined into one connector. This embodiment makes it possible not to produce a special contact carrier for a connector for each specific application, but to combine different modules with different contact elements together.

In a further embodiment of the modular connector individual contact carrier (modules) are used in a frame and held together by this. The so-called modular frame is accommodated with inserted modules in a connector housing and thus forms the modular connector.

State of the art

From the DE 197 07 120 C1 is a holding frame for holding connector modules and for installation in connector housing or for screwing to wall surfaces known. In this case, holding means are provided on the connector modules, which cooperate with recesses provided in opposite wall parts of the holding frame. The connector modules received in the holding frame are provided for contacting with corresponding connector modules in a mating connector. The contact carriers (connector modules) essentially consist of a square shape. This allows a close juxtaposition of several modules. Such contact carriers are also known from the non-modular field of connectors. Here is a correspondingly larger contact carrier in a connector housing used and serves as an insulating body for receiving and contacting contact elements.

The publication US 2011/0269327 A1 describes a modular connector system for connecting printed circuit boards or electrical components. It is mentioned that a supply unit is partially inserted into an adapter unit. It is also disclosed to chamfer the edges of the adapter unit on the inside to facilitate the insertion process when the two units are plugged "blind".

The copy DE 20 2013 103 611 U1 describes a holding frame for a connector, wherein the holding frame is formed from two sheet metal parts screwed together. As a result, it has mechanically particularly good creep properties, and is therefore particularly well used with pneumatic modules. In this context, it is also mentioned that the pneumatic modules of the plug with those of the mating connector for transmission, for example, an air pressure, are pressed against each other. Furthermore, a substantially cuboid pneumatic module is shown, which is beveled at the edges of its mating surface. For its stabilization in the holding frame it has latching arms with latching hooks. These latching arms are arranged in each case in a recess at the edges of the module extending at right angles to the plug-in surface, wherein the recess is guided into the plug-in surface for production-related reasons.

A disadvantage of these known from the prior art, modular and non-modular insulators for connectors, which is required when contacting the connector with a mating connector a minimum of accuracy. An error-free contact is only possible if the orientation of the connector and mating connector binder does not soften too much.

However, this is not always guaranteed even if the contacting of connectors is not manual, i. done manually by a user, but automatically. Very often, connectors are made by robots, together with machine parts or other machines. For example, if large machine modules are replaced in large industrial plants, the connectors must be aligned with very small tolerances when assembling the machine components.

If this is not the case, it comes in the worst case, the destruction of the connector, if the insulator does not slide properly into each other and instead put on each other. Such an error is difficult to intercept in a large plant.

This problem becomes all the more relevant when it comes to modular connector systems. Since each individual connector module has a certain tolerance and clearance, these tolerances add up. In the worst case, contacting multiple modular connectors is not possible without human intervention.

die Folge. Eine Fehlsteckung der Kontaktträger ist das Ergebnis.Specifically, such mismatches occur when the tolerances of rectangular or square contact carriers in two space dimensions be exhausted. In the case of a system of two contactable contact carriers which may have a tolerance of 0.5 mm in each of two directions, maximum utilization of this tolerance in both directions results in an effective diagonal offset between the two directions of 0.71 mm $\left(\mathit{offset}=\sqrt{{0.5}^2\times {0.5}^2}\right)$

the episode. Misjuring the contact carriers is the result.

task

The object of the invention is to present a system comprising a contact carrier and a corresponding contact carrier, in which the contact carrier eliminates or at least minimizes the disadvantages of the contact carriers and connectors known from the prior art. In this case, the contact carrier with the corresponding contact carrier of a second connector should be able to be simply merged into each other. The risk of mutual contact of the contact carrier to each other should be minimized even with inaccurate contact.

The object is solved by the characterizing features of independent claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

The contact carrier is a substantially rectangular or square base body. The main body is divided into a holding area and a plug-in area. One or more cavities are provided in the contact carrier so that they completely penetrate the contact carrier and are arranged in regions in the holding area and the plug-in area.

The cavities are provided for receiving contact elements, wherein the contact elements are fastened and held in the holding region of the contact carrier. The contact elements may optionally be electrical, pneumatic or optical contact elements. Preferably, the contact elements are formed so that they can be connected to the part arranged in the holding portion with a conductor to be connected. The connected conductor can leave the cavity in the holding area of the contact carrier.

When using electrical contact elements is expedient to produce the contact carrier of an insulating material to ensure electrical insulation of the contact elements to each other.

The holding region of the contact carrier has on its outside appropriate means which are suitable for mounting the contact carrier in a connector. The means may be formed as a mounting flange to secure the contact carrier with screws or similar tools in a connector housing.

A further embodiment would be to provide projections in the area of the modular plug connectors on the contact carrier by means of which the contact carrier can be positively locked in e.g. a holding frame can be added.

The mating side of the contact carrier has at least four side surfaces which extend away from the holding region and are terminated by a cover surface terminating the mating side. In the top surface openings of the cavities are provided, which extend through the contact carrier. The openings ensure access and contacting of the contact elements in the cavities.

Between the side surfaces and the top surface of the contact carrier forms a circumferential edge. According to the invention, the edge is provided with a bevel serving as a chamfer. Through the insertion bevel, the object of the invention is achieved to increase the plug security and to prevent mishaps by successive contact pad.

In an expedient embodiment, the insertion bevel on the contact carrier has a dimensioning transverse to the insertion direction between 0.2 mm and 2.5 mm. In an embodiment adapted to the EN 175301-801: 2006 standard, the lead-in bevel is at least 0.5 mm across the direction of insertion. In a preferred embodiment, the insertion bech between 0.3 mm and 0.8 mm across the direction of insertion is wide.

The design of the insertion bevel at 45 ° has proven to be particularly useful. But also chamfers with angles between 20 ° and 70 ° are conceivable. Advantageous insertion bevels in the range between 35 ° and 55 °.

The contact carrier according to the invention is designed so that no edge, but a radius is formed between each two abutting side surfaces. In this embodiment of the Kontaktträges the problem of mishaps when merging with another contact carrier is particularly large.

Due to the rounded edges between the side surfaces, the chamfer forming the insertion bevel also forms a radius on the top surface. In the case of a uniformly circumferential chamfer of, for example, 0.5 mm, a maximum offset from the contact carrier to a corresponding contact carrier in the x and y directions by 0.5 mm results in an effective offset in the diagonal direction (in the direction of the rounded Edge between the side surfaces) of 0.71 mm ( offset = $\sqrt{{0.5}^2+{0.5}^2)},$

However, since the circumferential insertion be allowed only 0.5 mm offset at each point, the contact carrier with the corresponding contact carrier is not pluggable. To eliminate this error, the contact carrier according to the invention has in the region of the rounded edges between the side surfaces over a step-shaped recess in the top surface. Thus, a touchdown of the contact carrier is prevented on the corresponding contact carrier.

The step-shaped recess is expediently executed in the same dimension as the insertion bevel on the contact carrier. This ensures that even at the maximum offset of two contact carriers to one another seating in the rounded corner is prevented.

Such misalignment of connectors is also required in standardization. Thus, connectors in accordance with EN 175301-801: 2006 must be able to compensate for an offset of 0.5 mm in the longitudinal and transverse directions. This is not possible as already described with an insertion bevel of 0.5 mm. In order not to make the insertion bevels unnecessarily large, a connector according to the teachings of the present invention fulfills the requirements of EN 175301-801: 2006.

embodiment

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Kontaktträgers;

Fig. 2

einen Kontaktträger mit einem korrespondierenden Kontaktträger im Teilschnitt;

Fig. 3

einen weiteren Kontaktträger mit einem korrespondierenden Kontaktträger im Teilschnitt; und

Fig. 4

einen weiteren Kontaktträger mit einem korrespondierenden Kontaktträger im Teilschnitt.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail below. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a contact carrier;

Fig. 2

a contact carrier with a corresponding contact carrier in partial section;

Fig. 3

a further contact carrier with a corresponding contact carrier in partial section; and

Fig. 4

another contact carrier with a corresponding contact carrier in partial section.

The figures contain partially simplified, schematic representations. In part, identical reference numerals are used for the same but possibly not identical elements. Different views of the same elements could be scaled differently.

The FIG. 1 shows a contact carrier 1 from a perspective view. The contact carrier 1 has two areas, wherein the area shown below forms a holding area 3 and the area shown here above forms a plug-in area 2.

In the contact carrier 1, a plurality of cavities 4 is introduced. In this case, the cavities 4 extend from a cover area 6, which terminates the plug-in area 2, through the entire plug-in area 2, as well as the entire holding area 3. On the non-visible, concluding surface of the holding area 3, the cavities 4 emerge - as does the plug-in area 2 the holding area 3 of the contact carrier 1 from.

The cavities 4 are provided for receiving contact elements. Contact elements are held in the holding region 3 in the cavities 4 and protrude with a plug end into the plug-in region 2. Through the openings of the cavities 4 in the holding region 3, the contact elements can be connected to a cable to be connected.

In addition to the inclusion and attachment of contact elements of the holding portion 3 is also provided for attachment of the contact carrier 1 itself. For this purpose, means 5 are provided on the contact carrier 1 in the holding area 3, which for receiving and fixing the contact carrier 1 in a Connectors are provided.

The means 5 can assume various configurations known from the prior art. In the embodiment shown cuboidal projections are provided as a means 5 on the contact carrier. The cuboidal means 5 can be inserted in a modular frame in corresponding recesses. As a result, the contact carrier 1 is held in the modular frame.

By inserting a plurality of contact carriers 1 in such a modular frame so a modular connector is assembled. The fully populated modular frame can be mounted in a connector housing. Also, attaching a contact carrier 1 directly in a connector housing is conceivable.

The plug-in region 2 of the contact carrier 1 is provided for joining with the plug-in region of a corresponding contact carrier 20. By inserting the plug-in region 2 into the plug-in region of the corresponding contact carrier 20, the contact elements received in the contact carriers 1, 20 are connected to one another and contacted.

Suitably, the plug-in region of the corresponding contact carrier 20 is designed so that it surrounds the plug-in region 2 of the contact carrier 1 in the inserted state. In the plug-in region of the corresponding contact carrier 20 projecting contact elements can thus protrude into the cavities 4 of the contact carrier 1 and contact the contact elements received therein.

The plug-in region 2 of the contact carrier 1 has in the illustrated embodiment four side surfaces 7, and a final cover surface 6. The side surfaces 7 are each connected by a radius 10.

In the transition between the side surfaces 7 and the top surface 6, a circumferential chamfer is provided on the contact carrier 1. The circumferential chamfer serves as an insertion bevel 8. The insertion of the plug-in region 2 of the contact carrier 1 into a plug-in region of a corresponding contact carrier 20 is thus simplified. Depending on the size of the insertion bevel 8, the contact carrier 1, 20 are interconnected with a larger tolerance.

According to the invention, recesses 9 are introduced into the contact carrier 1 in the corner regions of the plug-in region 2. The recesses 9 are dimensioned so that they omit the rounded by the radius 10 corner region of the insertion 8. As a result, the problem according to the invention is prevented in that an exploitation of the insertion bevel 8 in two directions (x, y) prevents the contact carriers 1, 20 from being joined together. The problem of the invention is in the FIG. 2 again illustrated in more detail.

The FIG. 2 shows a section of a contact carrier 1 and a arranged above corresponding contact carrier 20. In this case, the corresponding contact carrier 20 is shown in partial section to allow a view of the interior of the contacting of the contact carrier 1, 20.

From the corresponding contact carrier 20 only part of the plug-in area is shown. The remaining part of the corresponding contact carrier 20 has not been shown above the plug-in area for the sake of clarity. In the front region, a side surface 21 of the corresponding contact carrier 20 is cut open. As a result, a view of the insertion bevel 8 of the contact carrier 1 shown below is possible. Also, the contact carrier 1 is shown only in the neck.

Details such as the cavities 4 were omitted in this view. Only the elements relevant for the explanation are shown.

Left hand, the radius 10 between the side surfaces 7 of the contact carrier 1 can be seen, which also forms a chamfer at the top, the corresponding contact carrier 20 end facing by the insertion bevel 8. Due to the insertion bevel 8, the radius 10 at the edge 11 to the top surface 6 is lower.

The plug-in areas of the contact carriers 1, 20 are expediently dimensioned so that the plug-in area 2 of the contact carrier 1 can be inserted in a form-fitting manner into the plug-in area of the corresponding contact carrier 20. For this purpose, it is advantageous to choose the radius 22 between the side surfaces 21 of the corresponding contact carrier 20 to be slightly larger than the radius 10 between the side surfaces 7 of the contact carrier 1.

Dieser Versatz ist jedoch größer als die Breite der Einführschräge 8 im Bereich F des Radius 22. Daher setzt der korrespondierenden Kontaktträger 20 bei maximalem X- und Y-Versatz im Bereich F auf dem Kontaktträger 1 auf.The FIG. 2 represents a state in which the merge of the contact carrier 1, 20, the insertion 8 is fully utilized both in the X direction and in the Y direction. Due to the offset of the contact carrier 1 to the koresponierendenen contact carrier 20 by the width of the insertion 8 in the X and Y directions, resulting in a diagonal, directed to the radius 22 offset of $\sqrt{2*{\left(\mathit{width}\mathit{the}einf\mathrm{ü}HrscH\mathrm{<figure-callout\; id="2"\; label="r\; ä\; ge"\; filenames="imgf0001.png,imgf0002.png"\; state="\{\{state\}\}">r\; </figure-callout>}\mathrm{ä}\mathit{ge}\mathit{}\right)}^2},$

However, this offset is greater than the width of the insertion bevel 8 in the area F of the radius 22. Therefore, the corresponding contact carrier 20 sets at maximum X and Y offset in the area F on the contact carrier 1.

In a machine, non-manual contacting of the contact carrier 1, 20 so an unavoidable damage to the contact carriers 1, 20 would occur.

The FIG. 3 shows a section of a Köntaktträgers 1 and arranged above a corresponding contact carrier 20, from the same perspective as the FIG. 2 , In the FIG. 3 However, the contact carrier 1 is shown in a further embodiment, in which a recess. 9 is introduced in the corner of the contact carrier 1 in the insertion 8.

Through the recess 9 in the corner region of the contact carrier 1 is the erfindungsmäßige problem, which in the FIG. 2 is explained in more detail, solved. An overlap of the radius 22 of the corresponding contact carrier 20 with the smaller radius 11 on the insertion bevel 8 of the contact carrier 1 is avoided. Even with complete spreading of the insertion bevel 8 in the X direction and in the Y direction, it is no longer possible to place the corresponding contact carrier 20 on the contact carrier 1.

Especially in the automated field, when plug-in connections are mechanically inserted by robots or when exchanging large machine modules, manual intervention to ensure complete contacting is no longer necessary. The risk of miscarriage in the mismatch area F ( FIG. 2 ) is significantly minimized.

Another non-claimed embodiment is in the FIG. 4 shown. This in turn shows a section of a contact carrier 1 and a corresponding arranged over the contact carrier 20 as in FIG. 2 , from an identical point of view. In the FIG. 4 However, the contact carrier 1 is not provided with a recess 9 in the corner region of the contact carrier 1. The function of the recess 9 is realized in this embodiment by increasing the radius 11. Due to a larger radius between the insertion bevel 8 and the top surface 6 in the region of the radii 10, the edge with the radius 11 adapts to the radius 22 of the corresponding contact carrier 20.

The radius enlargement of the effect itself is achieved as by the introduction of a recess 9. The corresponding contact carrier 20 is also in complete spreading of the insertion 8 in the X direction and in the Y direction no longer on the contact carrier 1.

The FIGS. 5 and 6 show two further, specific non-claimed embodiments. The embodiments are in the same view as the embodiments of Figures 2 . 3 and 4 shown.

In the embodiment of the FIG. 5 is the insertion bevel 8 as already from the FIGS. 1 to 4 known, formed on the contact carrier 1. By contrast, the recess 9 is provided on the corresponding contact carrier 20.

In this case, the recess 9 facing the contact carrier 1 is arranged in the corner region between the side surfaces 21. Thereby, the same effect according to the invention as in the embodiment shown first (FIG. 1 and FIG FIG. 3 ).

Likewise, the purpose of the FIG. 6 embodiment shown the same effect. Here, the insertion bevel 8 is formed on the corresponding contact carrier 20. The recess 9 is as in the embodiment of FIG. 3 formed on the contact carrier 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1.

contact support

Second

plug-in region

Third

holding area

4th

cavity

5th

Means for attachment

6th

cover surface

7th

side surface

8th.

chamfer

9th

recess

10th

radius

11th

inner radius

13th

recess

20th

corresponding contact carrier

21st

side surface

22nd

radius

X

X-direction

Y

Y-direction

F

Incorrect contact area

Claims (6)

1. System comprising a contact carrier (1) and a corresponding contact carrier (20), wherein both the contact carrier (1) and the corresponding contact carrier (20) are each formed from an insulating material, have a substantially rectangular shape and form at least one cavity (4) to hold a contact element,
   wherein both the contact carrier (1) and the corresponding contact carrier (20) each have a plug-in region (2) and a holding region (3), wherein the at least one cavity (4) extends at least through the holding region (3) along the plug-in direction of the respective contact carrier (1, 20),
   wherein both the contact carrier (1) and the corresponding contact carrier (20) have means (5) for their own fixing in the holding region (3), and
   wherein the respective plug-in region (2) both of the contact carrier (1) and of the corresponding contact carrier (20) comprises at least four side surfaces (7, 21) extending away from the holding region (3),
   wherein the plug-in region (2) of the contact carrier (1) can be inserted in a form-fitting manner into the plug-in region of the corresponding contact carrier (20),
   wherein the contact carrier (1) has a top surface (6) which terminates the plug-in region (3) and which forms the plug-in face of the contact carrier (1),
   wherein a circumferential edge is formed in the region between the side surfaces (7) and the top surface (6) of the plug-in region (2), wherein the edge is formed as an insertion bevel (8),
   wherein the plug-in region (2) between two abutting side surfaces (7) is respectively provided with a radius (10),
   and wherein the insertion bevel (8) has recesses (9) in the region of the corner regions of the plug-in region (2) which are rounded off by the radii (10).
2. System according to Claim 1, characterized in that the insertion bevel (8) has an angle between 20° and 70° relative to the top surface (6).
3. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
   the insertion bevel (8) has a size of at least 0.2 mm to at most 2.5 mm transversely relative to the plug-in direction.
4. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
   the recesses (9) of the insertion bevel (8) in the region of the radii (10, 22) are dimensioned such that the level of the top surface (6) is reduced by at least the height of the insertion bevel (8) counter to the plug-in direction of the contact carrier (1, 20).
5. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
   the recesses (9) of the insertion bevel (8) in the region of the radii (10, 22) are dimensioned such that the recesses (9) extend from the side surfaces (7, 21) by at least the width of the insertion bevel (8) into the plug-in region (2), transversely relative to the plug-in direction.
6. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that
   the insertion bevel (8) has a recess (13) in regions in which a cavity (4) comes close to one of the side surfaces (7, 21).

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