EP3140883B1 - Contact element - Google Patents

Description

State of the art

For high-pole connectors, in the connector housing or contact housing contact elements are inserted, mat seals with sealing blades are often used for sealing the connector against media entry along the cable, which contain a single opening for each contact element. The contact element usually has a contact body and a cable holder with a holding portion. In the holding section, for example, a strand crimping region and possibly also an insulation crimping region is provided, in which a cable is fastened to the contact element.
Such a contact element is for example in the DE 10 2011 078 093 A1 described. From the WO 2014/054783 A1 a spacer for a connector is known. From the JP 2012 238402 A is a cable with a plug contact known.

Disclosure of the invention

The invention is based on the recognition that, when the contact element is fitted into the connector, first the contact body of the contact element is pushed through the mat seal, then the strand crimping region and optionally the insulation crimp region, until finally the cable insulation is enclosed by the sealing geometry of the opening and the sealing effect occurs , It is crucial that the sealing lamellae of the mat seal are not damaged by the contact element when pushed through, so as not to worsen the sealing effect.
To avoid such damage, it is advantageous to design the contact body so that it has a smooth as possible and well rounded outer contour. However, the holding area, for example a crimp area, is often severely restricted in its shaping by the requirements of the fastening process, for example a crimping process and can be optimized in shape only to a slight extent such that damage to the sealing fins of the mat seal is reliably prevented.

It may undesirably occur that sharp-edged portions of the contact element or a e.g. between the contact body and the Litzencrimpbereich occurring strong Litzenhochstand (Engl.: "bushing") lead to damage to the sealing lamellae when passing the contact element through the sealing mat. The reduction of a strand supernatant in the area between the contact body and the strand crimp area such that the strand ends are completely enclosed by the strand crimp area is undesirable because the strand protrusion is used to check that the strands are properly radially encircled.

There may therefore be a need to provide a contact element in which a simple and cost-effective manner reliable damage to the sealing blades of a mat seal when pushing the contact element is prevented by the mat seal.

Advantages of the invention

This need can be met by the subject matter of the present invention according to the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the present invention are described in the dependent claims.

In the following, features, details and possible advantages of a device and a method for producing a device according to embodiments of the invention are discussed in detail.

According to a first aspect of the invention, a contact element is proposed, which makes it possible to reliably prevent damage to a sealing mat when passing the contact element through the sealing mat.

This is accomplished by the contact element having a contact body extending along a longitudinal axis and a cable support connected to the contact body, the cable support extending along the longitudinal axis, and wherein the cable support has at least one holding portion for securing a cable to the cable support. The contact element also has a protective element. According to the invention, it is provided that the protective element can be displaced along the longitudinal axis from a first position to a second position, the protective element covering the cable holder in the second position.

Compared to the prior art, the contact element has the advantage that in the first position of the protective element of the holding portion, such as a Litzencrimpabschnitt and optionally an Isoliercrimpabschnitt the cable holder of the contact element is freely accessible and thereby attaching the cable to the contact element is simple and reliable. By moving the protective element into the second position, the cable holder is then covered. This advantageously covers exactly the area in which, for example, a strand supernatant can occur or sharp-edged areas, e.g. can form by bent Crimplaschen. When pushing the contact element with the protective element in the second position by a sealing mat thus advantageously only a preferably smooth and uniform outer wall of the contact element is exposed. Strand protrusion and sharp edges are covered under the cover and thus can no longer damage the sealing strips of the sealing mat.

The first position can be arranged in the direction of passage of the contact element through a sealing mat viewed in front of the second position. In other words, the first position is arranged so that upon insertion of the contact element by the sealing mat first the first position reaches the sealing mat and only then the second position reaches the sealing mat.

Another advantage of the proposed contact element is that by means of the movement of the protective element along the longitudinal axis, the protective function can take place in a simple assembly step, for example, no further pressing process, no thermal process and no additional after the cable fastening process to be mounted or to be mounted component. Rather, the contact element already in not yet connected to the cable state, ie directly after its production, have the protective element, which then only has to be pushed after the attachment of the cable to the second position. This advantageously causes a quick assembly step. In addition, it can be determined manually or automatically, for example, after the cable assembly, whether the protective element has been placed in the second position and thus the contact element has been placed in a state which allows a damage-free passing through the sealing mat. It is only the position of the protective element to check and it must, for example, not be checked whether individual strands protrude - this is automatically no longer possible in the second position of the protective element.

In addition, the proposed contact element advantageously no new techniques for attaching the cable necessary, so it can be known methods are used.

Further advantageous can be saved by the proposed contact element consuming quality controls to discover an excessive Litzenüberstand. Thus, attaching the cables also to suppliers such as e.g. relocate a cable confectioner without the need to elaborate process know-how or costly quality control at this supplier.

The contact element can be produced, for example, as a stamped and bent part. For example, the contact element preferably has metallic regions which are good current-conducting.

The protective element is preferably formed from metal and, in this way, in the second position also effects an electromagnetic shielding effect with respect to the electrical signals transmitted via the contact element. However, the protective element can also be made of any other material such as plastic or glass or be formed of composite materials.

The fact that the protective element is mounted at least in the first position on the contact body, is advantageously causes the presence of the protective element after the manufacture of the contact element can be checked in a simple manner. In addition, the contact body provides a stable hold for the protective element during transport, during assembly and also when moving the protective element in the second position. Furthermore, it can also be advantageously ensured that the cable holder and the holding section are freely accessible in the first position of the protective element and the attachment of the cable is not affected by the protective element.

Due to the fact that the protective element in the second position covers the cable holder at least in a region between the contact body and the holding section, in particular completely covered, it is advantageously effected that distal stranded ends of a cable arranged in this region after a fastening process are no longer transversal to the longitudinal axis protrude beyond an outer wall of the contact element, but are covered by the protective element. This is when passing through the Contact element by a sealing mat reliably prevents damage to the sealing mat.

When attaching the cable may be a crimping of the cable, wherein the distal stripped wire ends of the cable, for example, can come to rest between the contact body and the holding portion. However, it can also be a welding process, in particular an ultrasonic welding process or a resistance welding process. It is also possible to use a soldering process or an adhesive process in which an electrically conductive part of the cable is soldered or glued in the holding section. In this case, the elements which are sharp-edged or rigid in the region of the holding section can be e.g. cooled solder or Litzenreste be transverse to the longitudinal axis of the contact element, which protrude outward. These can damage the inner walls of the openings during insertion of the contact element along the longitudinal axis through a narrow opening. By covering the area between the holding section and the contact body with the protective element in the second position, this risk is eliminated or at least greatly reduced. In addition, this advantageously minimizes the risk for fitters that they are injured on fingers, hands or other places by such Litzenvorsstände or sharp-edged elements.

In other words, the protective element is provided in the second position on the connector in a region in which the strands of a cable to be clamped typically end or in which cold solder of a soldering process can occur. This retains, due to its structural configuration and arrangement, the ends of the strands from being bent outwards, or makes outwardly bent strand ends harmless by the overlap in the second position. Thus, it is prevented that these ends of the strands protrude laterally beyond the contact body of the connector.

A further development of the invention provides that the contact body has at least one locking element on an end facing the cable holder, and that the protective element has a counter locking element corresponding to the locking element, wherein the locking element cooperates mechanically with the counter locking element in the second position of the protective element, in particular with positive locking cooperates, that the protective element is fixed to the contact body in the direction of the longitudinal axis.

This advantageously causes the protective element in its first position axially or in the direction of the longitudinal axis easily displaced, for example, is displaceable and that it can not be displaced axially in its second position without a release of the locking element and counter-locking element from the second position. As a result, the protective element is secured against unintentional displacement, for example during passage through a sealing mat or through a narrow opening.
In this way it is reliably prevented that during passing through a sealing mat or a narrow opening sharp-edged elements or against the Hindurchsteckrichtung facing distal ends of strands are exposed from the coverage of the protective element and so can damage the sealing blades or the inner wall opening, for example.
In general, this can prevent the protective element from being displaced too far beyond the second position. In the locked state, such locking mechanism of locking element and counter-locking element can advantageously ensure a substantially gap-free contact between the protective element and the contact body, whereby a particularly smooth, common outer contour of the contact body and Protective element is effected.
The locking element and the counter-locking element may be, for example, a latching lug and a notch or other complementary structures such as a mushroom-like recess in the contact body or the protective element and a protruding mushroom from a wall of the protective element or the contact body supernatant , Preferably, the locking element and the counter-locking element are positively connected to each other in the locked state. It is possible, the locking element and the counter-locking element in such a way that they can be solved again from each other, for example, to relocate the protective element for maintenance back to the first position.

A non-inventive embodiment provides that the protective element is formed jacket-shaped and has a butt joint and encloses the contact body with open butt joint in the first position and in the second position enclosing the cable holder with substantially closed butt radially encircling.

In other words, the contact body in the delivery state of a sleeve-shaped protective element or a protective sleeve can be formed closely enclosed. The protective element is then under a mechanical stress, since it has been produced, for example, by widening a shape whose cross-section corresponds to that of the contact body. To make this possible, the protective element can be slotted along the longitudinal axis, ie have a butt joint, so that it can be widened in a simple manner. Such a jacket-shaped protective element can be made after completion of the attachment process of the cable, e.g. a Crimpvorgangs, to the rear, ie in its second position, in the direction of the holding area, pushed or shifted. As soon as the protective element and the contact body no longer have any overlapping, the protective element will assume its original shape in that the butt joint now largely or completely closes. In this way, the contact element with the protective element displaced into the second position has an outer contour without sharp edges, without protruding wire ends or stranded ends, etc. As a result, it is possible to pass the contact element through the sealing lamellae of the sealing mat or other narrow openings, without damaging the sealing lamellae of the mat seal or the inner walls of the narrow openings. This smooth outer contour is also present upon further disassembly of the contact element, and then causes e.g. also when pulling out the contact element from the sealing mat or from the narrow opening that the sealing fins or the inner walls of the narrow opening are not damaged.

Due to the fact that, in the second position of the protective element, a protective element outer wall of the protective element is flush with a contact body outer wall, a particularly smooth, burr-free and gap-free outer contour of the protective element or of the section of the protective element formed from the contact body and protective element is advantageously provided. This greatly reduces the risk of damaging the sealing mat.

A further embodiment provides that the contact body has a latching element, which can elastically spring outward and is suitable for latching in a contact housing. This has the advantageous effect that the contact element can reliably and reliably lock in a connector, so that unintentional release from the connector is prevented. Also, it is advantageously effected by such latching that the contact element has little play in it along the longitudinal axis and thus chafing of the contact element is minimized at the sealing lamellae.

The latching element can be formed, for example, by at least one latching lance extending counter to an insertion direction of the contact element, which protrudes transversely to the insertion direction outwards with a free end from the contact body.

An embodiment provides that the latching element is covered in the first position of the protective element by the protective element and is biased transversely to the longitudinal axis of the contact body and that the latching element is released in the second position of the protective element from the protective element and protrudes from the contact body to the outside.

In other words, the latching element, for example, a locking lance, be retained in the delivery state on the contact body of the protective element and only snaps when the protective element is displaced to the rear in its second position or pushed. The pushing back of the protective element may e.g. done by a cable manufacturer. If the protective element has not been pushed back, the outer diameter of the contact element in the region of the contact body is greater than the outer diameter of the contact body alone, since the protective element bears against the contact body. Therefore, the contact element can not be equipped due to its larger outer diameter, or if this is still possible due to the dimensional situation, do not lock in a contact housing of a connector in which the contact element is to be mounted. Because the locking element is as long as enclosed by the protective element, as this is in the first position. This makes it advantageously possible, in addition to an optical examination of the position of the protective element, to detect whether the protective element was actually in the fitting operation of the contact element in the connector in the intended second position. Does not lock the contact element, the protective element has not been moved to the second position. Knife contacts for locking in coupling connectors or other crimped contacts can be designed analogously.

• ▪ Bereitstellen eines Kabels,
• ▪ Bereitstellen eines Kontaktelements, wobei das Kontaktelement einen sich entlang einer Längsachse erstreckenden Kontaktkörper aufweist und wobei das Kontaktelement eine mit dem Kontaktkörper verbundene Kabelhalterung aufweist, die sich entlang der Längsachse erstreckt, wobei die Kabelhalterung wenigstens einen Halteabschnitt zum Festlegen des Kabels an der Kabelhalterung aufweist, wobei das Kontaktelement ein Schutzelement aufweist,
• ▪ Befestigung des Kabels, insbesondere von Litzen eines abisolierten Abschnitts des Kabels, an dem Halteabschnitt der Kabelhalterung,

Dabei wird nach dem Schritt des Befestigens des Kabels das Schutzelement entlang der Längsachse von einer ersten Position in eine zweite Position verlagert, so dass das Schutzelement in der zweiten Position die Kabelhalterung überdeckt und insbesondere die Litzen des abisolierten Abschnitts des Kabels überdeckt.According to a second aspect of the invention, a method of manufacturing a contact element cable assembly is presented. The method comprises the following steps:

• ▪ providing a cable,
• Providing a contact element, the contact element having a contact body extending along a longitudinal axis, and wherein the contact element has a cable holder connected to the contact body, which extends along the longitudinal axis, wherein the cable holder has at least one holding section for fixing the cable to the cable holder, wherein the contact element has a protective element,
• Fastening the cable, in particular strands of a stripped section of the cable, to the holding section of the cable holder,

In this case, after the step of attaching the cable, the protective element is displaced along the longitudinal axis from a first position to a second position, so that the protective element in the second position covers the cable holder and in particular covers the strands of the stripped portion of the cable.

In other words, the protective element, which is formed, for example, jacket-shaped and / or has the shape of a sleeve pushed back after attaching the cable against the insertion of the contact element to the rear and then covered or covered in the second position optionally behind the contact body present sharp-edged Elements or strand ends. The step of pushing back the protective element takes place, for example, in a Kabelkonfektionär between attaching and electrically connecting the cable to the contact element and a step of loading the contact element in a connector. The step of pushing back can be done manually by a fitter or automatically, for example, in a processing station of a fastening machine or in a separate from the automatic fastening machine backshift. The fastening machine may be e.g. to an automatic crimping machine or to a soldering station or a gluing station.

Compared to the prior art is advantageously effected by the method that in a subsequent placement of a connector with the contact element cable assembly with great certainty a sealing mat through which the contact element must be pushed, for example, is not damaged by protruding strands or sharp-edged elements , In addition, the displacement of the protective element with a particularly simple and inexpensive device can be accomplished, in contrast to a grouting device. Furthermore, a quality control following the displacement step can be performed optically in a simple manner: it is sufficient to check the displacement of the protective element into the second position in order to release the contact element. A control of individual strands, distance measurements free Strands from an outer contour of the contact body or the quality of a Litzenenden compression are not required. As a result, the production of the contact element / cable arrangement can advantageously be carried out without difficulty at a supplier or cable manufacturer without extensive quality assurance steps or a process knowledge transfer having to be provided.
A development of the method provides that the protective element encloses the contact body in the first position, in particular with a jacket-like shape, and that the protective element is slidably displaceable into its second position via a contact body outer wall of the contact body. With this development, it is particularly easy to move the protective element in its second position. The contact body acts as a kind of guide rail for the protective element. By slidingly sliding on the preferably smooth outer wall of the contact body, the protective element can be displaced with little effort and reliably guided in the direction of the longitudinal axis in its second position.

drawings

• Fig. 1 eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Kontaktelements mit einem Schutzelement in einer ersten Position gemäß einer ersten nicht erfindungsgemäßen Ausführungsform der Erfindung;
• Fig. 2 eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Kontaktelements gemäß Fig. 1 mit dem in eine zweite Position verlagerten Schutzelement;
• Fig. 3a einen Querschnitt eines Kontaktelements mit einem Schutzelement in einer ersten Position gemäß der Erfindung;
• Fig. 3b einen Querschnitt eines Kontaktelements gemäß Fig. 3a mit dem in eine zweite Position verlagerten Schutzelement.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of exemplary embodiments, which are not to be construed as limiting the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Show it:

• Fig. 1 a perspective view of a contact element with a protective element in a first position according to a first non-inventive embodiment of the invention;
• Fig. 2 a perspective view of a contact element according to Fig. 1 with the protective element displaced into a second position;
• Fig. 3a a cross section of a contact element with a protective element in a first position according to the invention;
• Fig. 3b a cross section of a contact element according to Fig. 3a with the protective element displaced into a second position.

All figures are merely schematic representations of devices according to the invention or of their components according to embodiments of the invention. In particular, distances and size relationships are not shown to scale in the figures. In the various figures, corresponding elements are provided with the same reference numbers.

In the Figs. 1 and 2 is a contact element 100 is shown, which is made for example in a stamping-bending process of a thin sheet. The contact element 100 has a contact body 200 extending along a longitudinal axis 150. The contact body 200 can be hollow-cylindrical, for example in the form of a hollow circular cylinder, which has a wall 210 with an inner wall 212 and an outer wall 214. The contact body consists for example of an electrically conductive material, preferably of a metal. However, the contact body 200 may also have an elliptical or rectangular shape in a cross-section transverse to the longitudinal axis 150, or generally a polygonal cross-section.

The contact element 100 further has a cable holder 400 connected to the contact body 200, which extends along the longitudinal axis 150. The cable holder 400 may be connected to the contact body via a neck section 450 or neck region 450.

The cable support 400 and the neck portion 450 are preferably formed of metal or an electrically conductive material.

The cable holder 400 has at least one holding portion 410 for fixing a cable 500 to the cable holder 400. In this case, the cable has an insulated area 502, in which the cable has a cable insulation 510 and a stripped area 504, on which individual strands 520 or wires 520 project with their distal ends 522 from the cable insulation 510.

The cable holder 400 may be formed as a crimping portion 402 in which, for example, the holding portion 410 is formed as a wire crimping portion 412 for fixing stripped wires 520 or strands 520 of the cable 500 by crimping on the holding portion 410. For this purpose, the Drahtcrimpbereich 412 at least one Drahtcrimplasche 414, the Formation of a strand crimp serves. The holding portion 410 may further include a cable crimping portion 420 serving to fix the cable insulation 510 of the cable 500 to the holding portion 410 of the contact member 100. For this purpose, at least one cable crimping tab 422 is formed on the cable crimping portion 420, by means of which the cable insulation 510 can be pressed against the holding portion 510. By means of such an insulation crimp, a strain relief of the strand crimp in the wire crimping region 412 is effected. In other embodiments, not shown here, the cable 500 can be fixed electrically and mechanically to the contact element 100, for example by soldering or gluing. When fixing the strands 520 of the cable to the holding section 410, it may happen that the distal ends 522 of the strands 520 are not caught by the cable crimping tabs 414 and, for example, come to lie in the neck section 450 between the holding section 410 and the contact body 200. It is also possible that these distal ends 522 of the strands 520 protrude transversely to the longitudinal axis 150 to the outside. These would potentially damage sealing lamellae of the sealing mat when the contact element 100 is inserted along the longitudinal axis 150 through a sealing mat (not shown here).

In order to prevent such damage or even an injury to fingers, hands or limbs of fitters at sharp-edged points or projecting strands 520 of such contact elements 100 during assembly of Kontakelements 200 in Kotaktgehäuse a connector, the contact element 100 has a protective element 300. The protective element 300 is designed such that it along the longitudinal axis 150 of a in Fig. 1 shown first position (P1) in an in Fig. 2 shown second position (P2) is displaceable and in the second position (P2), the cable holder 400 covers.

In Fig. 1 the protective element 300 is in its first position (P1). In this state, the contact element 100 is provided on the contact element 100 before the cable 500 is mounted. It can be seen that the protective element 300 has a jacket-shaped or sleeve-like shape with a wall 310. The wall 310 is designed with a smooth, substantially burr-free outer wall 314. The protective element 300 is designed in such a way that its inner wall 312 closely surrounds, for example, the smooth and substantially burr-free outer wall 214 of the contact body 200 and is under mechanical pretension. For this purpose, the protective element 300 has, for example, a butt joint 350 or a slot 350 along the longitudinal axis 150. In this state, the protective element 300 with relatively little effort along the longitudinal axis 150 to the rear, ie in the direction of Holding section 410, slidable. At the same time, in the first position (P1) of the protective member 300, the holding portion 410 and the cable crimping portion 420 are easily exposed. In other words, the protective element 300 in its first position (P1) does not hinder attachment of the cable 500 to the cable holder 400: the cable holder 400 is freely accessible.

In Fig. 2 the contact element 100 is shown in the fully assembled state. For this purpose, first the cable 500 was fixed electrically and mechanically to the contact element 100, for example by a crimping process or a soldering process or an adhesion process. Subsequently, the protective element 300 has been displaced in a sliding manner into its second position (P2) via the outer wall 214 of the contact body acting as a type of guide element or guide rail. For example, by manual shifting or by a machine. In the second position (P2), the protective element 300 completely covers the neck section 450 with its wall 310 and, in the illustrated embodiment, also the holding section 410 or wire crimping section 412 completely.

Due to the mechanical bias of the protective element 300, the diameter of the protective element 300 decreases as soon as it has been pushed back over the end of the contact body 200 pointing in the direction of the holding section 410. In the second position (P2) of the protective element 300, the protective element 300 is completely displaced behind the contact body 200. The outer wall 214 of the contact body 200 in this state encloses in a radially circumferential manner and substantially flush with the outer wall 314 of the protective element 300 in a substantially gap-free manner in the axial direction. Overall, such a smooth and burr-free outer contour is created by which the risk of damage is minimized for tight-fitting sealing blades of a sealing mat when pushing through the thus formed contact element 100. The holding portion 410 is thus hidden in principle inside an outwardly smooth sleeve.

For the function of the protective element 300, however, it is sufficient if the protective element 300 in its second position (P2) covers at least that portion of the contact element 100 in which strands 520 can project transversely to the longitudinal axis 150.

It is also sufficient for the function if the protective element 300 does not surround the neck section 450 or the holding section 410 completely, but instead For example, only along a radial circumference in a range of 90 ° to 270 °. Also, it is not necessary that the outer wall 214 of the contact body 200 serves as such as a guide rail. It is also possible for the protective element 300 to be mounted on a guide element, for example a rail, arranged on the contact body 200 and to be displaced along this guide element from the first position (P1) to the second position (P2).

In the Figs. 1 and 2 At the end of the contact body 200 pointing in the direction of the holding section 400, a locking element 230 protruding in the axial direction is formed. In the illustrated embodiment, this locking element 230 has the shape of a mushroom-like latching nose 232, which represents a punctiform extension of the wall 210 of the contact body 200. In the protective element 300, a counter-locking element 330 complementary to the locking element 230 is formed. In the illustrated embodiment, the counter-locking element 330 has the shape of a mushroom-shaped recess in the wall 310 of the protective element 300.

In general, the locking element can be designed as a latching nose 232 and the counter-locking element 330 as a latching notch 332. Or it is conversely possible that the locking element 230 is formed as a notch 332 and the counter-locking element 330 as a latching nose 232nd

In the second position (P2) of the protective element 300, the locking element 230 can make an interlocking connection with the counter locking element 330, for example, and prevent further displacement or retraction of the protective element 300 in the direction of the longitudinal axis 150 to the rear or to the front. As a result, even with stronger static frictional forces or sliding frictional forces, for example, when pushing the contact element 100 through narrow openings, e.g. acting on the protective element 300 in a sealing mat along the longitudinal axis 150, ensures that the protective element 300 remains in the second position (P2) and the sharp-edged elements (eg crimping lugs 414) or distal ends 522 of the strands 520 hidden by it are not exposed ,

The locking element 230 and the counter-locking element 330 can also be, for example, a radially arranged groove on the outer side of the wall 210 of the contact body 200 and a radially encircling spring on the inner side of the wall 310 of the protective element 300.

In the Figs. 3a and 3b a contact element 100 according to the invention is shown. Here, a latching element 270 is disposed on the contact body 200, which is formed for example in the form of a locking lance. This latching element 270 has, for example, a free end 272, which faces the holding section 410. The latching element is elastically biased such that it protrudes outward from the contact body. It can lock behind an undercut of a connector housing in the manner of a barb when the contact element 100 is inserted into the connector housing. In this way, the contact element 100 can be fixed in a connector housing in the axial direction, ie in the direction of the longitudinal axis 150, counter to the insertion direction. The contact element 100 can also be designed such that the latching element 270, viewed along the longitudinal axis 150, adjoins the contact body 200 in front and behind, in other words is enclosed by the contact body 200.
In the illustrated embodiment, the latching element 270 in the first position (P1) is covered or encased by the protective element 300, which is in the form of a jacket, for example. As a result, it is pressed against its elastic bias in the direction of the wall 210 of the contact body 200. This also has the advantage that contact elements 100 formed in this way can be delivered as bulk material without the locking elements 270 projecting outwards interlocking with each other and becoming damaged or locking elements 270 projecting outwards during transport transport the cable insulation 510 of the cable 500 to damage. There may also be embodiments in which a surface of the contact body is provided with a coating, for example of noble metal such as gold or silver, or a corrosion protection. Here, it is then advantageously prevented that this surface coating of the contact body 200 is damaged by the rubbing together of the contact elements 100: the protective element thus protects the contact body 200 or its outer wall 210 or a surface coating of the outer wall 210 from damage in the state immediately after production.
In Fig. 3b For example, the protection element 300 is shown displaced to its second position (P2). It can be seen that the latching element 270 protrudes barb-shaped outward from the contact body according to its mechanical bias, since the protective element 300 in the illustrated position no longer encloses or covers the free end 272 of the latching element 270.

In one example of the contact element 100, it is also possible that a latching opening is provided instead of the latching element 270, in which engages a connector latching element. Such contact element-connector combinations are also known by the term "clean body contacts". In this example, the protective element 300 covers in the first position (P1) the latching opening of the contact element 100, so that a latching of the connector with the contact element 100 in the first position (P1) of the protective element 300 is also not possible.
Both in the overlap of a locking element 270 by the protective element 300 as well as when covering a detent opening by the protective element 300, a control option is offered when equipping the contact element 100 in a connector housing, whether the protective element was moved to the second position (P2). Namely, only in the second position (P2) shifted state, the contact element 100 can latch in the connector housing. This makes it possible to detect whether there has been a potential damage to the sealing mat.
It is in the Fig. 3b It will also be appreciated that the protective member 300 covers the distal ends 522 of the strands as well as any sharp-edged portions of the wire crimp lugs 414. Also, as the protective member 300 preferably has a slightly larger outer diameter than the cable insulation 510 and the crimp crimp 422 presses into the cable insulation 510 For example, the contact element 100 designed in this way has a substantially burr-free and smooth outer contour which minimizes the damage potential of sealing lamellae when pushed through by a sealing mat.
Finally, it should be noted that terms such as "having" or the like are not intended to exclude that other elements or steps may be provided. It should also be noted that "a" or "an" does not exclude a multitude. In addition, features described in connection with the various embodiments may be combined with each other as desired. It is further noted that the reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.
Such designed contact elements 100 are suitable for use in connectors in the form of female contacts, in particular high-pole socket contacts Sealing mats. Also knife contacts can be designed for locking in coupling connectors in the same way. In general, the proposed design is suitable for all contact elements with crimped or soldered or glued cables or strands or wires.

Claims (5)

1. Contact element, having:

   a contact body (200) which extends along a longitudinal axis (150),

   a cable holder (400) which is connected to the contact body (200) and extends along the longitudinal axis (150), wherein the cable holder (400) has at least one holding section (410) for securing litz wires (520) of a section (502) of a cable (500), which section has been stripped of insulation, to the cable holder (400),

   a protection element (300),

   characterized in that

   the protection element can be moved along the longitudinal axis (150) from a first position (P1) to a second position (P2),

   wherein the protection element (300) covers the cable holder (400) in the second position (P2),

   wherein the contact body (200) has a latching element (270) which can spring elastically outwards and is suitable for latching in a contact housing,

   wherein the latching element (270), in the first position (P1) of the protection element (300), is covered by the protection element (300) and is prestressed in the direction of the contact body (200) transversely to the longitudinal axis, and in that the latching element (270), in the second position (P2) of the protection element (300), is released by the protection element (300) and protrudes outwards from the contact body (200).
2. Contact element according to Claim 1,
   characterized in that
   the protection element (300) is mounted on the contact body (200) at least in the first position (P1).
3. Contact element according to Claim 1 or 2,
   characterized in that the protection element (300) covers, in particular completely covers, the cable holder (400) at least in a region between the contact body (200) and the holding section (410) in the second position (P2).
4. Method for producing a contact element/cable arrangement, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

   -- providing a cable (500),

   -- providing a contact element (100), wherein the contact element (100) has a contact body (200) which extends along a longitudinal axis (150), and wherein the contact element (100) has a cable holder (400) which is connected to the contact body (200) and extends along the longitudinal axis (150), wherein the cable holder (400) has at least one holding section (410) for securing the cable (500) to the cable holder (400), wherein the contact element (100) has a protection element (300), wherein the contact body (200) has a latching element (270) which can spring elastically outwards and is suitable for latching in a contact housing, wherein the latching element (270), in a first position (P1) of the protection element (300), is covered by the protection element (300) and is prestressed in the direction of the contact body (200) transversely to the longitudinal axis, and in that the latching element (270), in a second position (P2) of the protection element (300), is released by the protection element (300) and protrudes outwards from the contact body (200),

   -- fastening litz wires (520) of a section (502) of the cable (500), which section has been stripped of insulation, to the holding section (410) of the cable holder (400),

   wherein,
   after the step of fastening the cable (500), the protection element (300) is moved along the longitudinal axis (150) from the first position (P1) to the second position (P2), so that the protection element (300) covers the litz wires (520) of the section (502) of the cable (500), which section has been stripped of insulation, in the second position (P2).
5. Method according to Claim 4,
   characterized in that
   the protection element (300) surrounds the contact body (200) in the first position (P1), in particular with a casing-like design, and in that the protection element (300) can be moved to its second position (P2) in a manner sliding over a contact body outer wall (214) of the contact body (200).

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