EP3261183A1 - Spring contact - Google Patents

Abstract

Spring contact for connecting an electrical conductor (25) to a contact spring (4) mounted on a housing (1) and clamping the electrical conductor in the connected state, and with an actuator (6) acting on the contact spring (4) and displaceable along the contact spring (4) ) with a rotary drive for opening and closing the contact point of the spring contact, one on the housing (1) rotatably mounted and with the actuator (6) kinematically coupled adjusting sleeve (12) serves as a rotary drive for the actuator (6) and wherein on the adjusting sleeve ( 12) an internal thread (13) and on the housing (1) has an external thread (11) is arranged.

Description

The invention relates to a spring contact for connecting an electrical conductor. The spring contact has a the electrical conductor in the connected state clamping contact spring. Furthermore, a bearing the spring contact and the contact spring housing is part of the invention.

Such spring contacts are known in the field of terminals. Another field of application for such spring contacts are connectors. The connectors have mutually complementary and thus plug-compatible male and female elements. These plug elements and socket elements are plugged into one another to form a plug-in coupling, in order to conductively connect two electrical lines which are in turn electrically connected to the plug and socket contacts. The inventive spring contact in turn serves to realize the mechanical and electrical connection, ie the connection of the electrical conductor to the plug part or socket part.

From the DE 100 37 550 A1 For example, a cable termination device with a spring contact according to the present invention is known. The cable connection device has a housing with an insertion funnel for the conductor to be connected and a fixing device for releasably fixing the conductor in the insertion funnel. The fixing device consists in turn of a clamping spring and an actuator which can be actuated by means of a screwdriver. The advantage of this known device is that the conductor and the actuator are accessible from the same side of the housing. The disadvantage, however, is the fact that a tool, namely a screwdriver is mandatory for the actuation of the actuator.

From the DE 202 05 806 U1 is a connector with a specially secured housing known. In the housing of this connector spring contacts for connecting conductors are provided. These spring contacts can be opened and closed by means of slides arranged in the housing. However, it is imperative to at least partially disassemble the connector housing to open or close the contacts can.

From the US 1,898,359 A on the one hand and the US 5,362,251 A and the DE 102 57 088 A1 On the other hand, contact elements with piercing contacts are known. Although these contact elements are connected without tools. However, piercing contacts allow only a one-time connection of the conductor, because when connecting the conductor of the insulating jacket of the conductor is damaged, namely pierced and beyond the conductor is damaged by the penetration of the piercing contact and undergoes a material weakening. Due to the uncontrolled damage of the insulating jacket and the equally uncontrolled weakening of the conductor cross-section, a conductor may only be connected once to a Piercin contact. If this contact connection is released, the conductor must be replaced. In contrast to the inventive spring contacts, piercing contacts are therefore not suitable for multiple contacting and decontacting of electrical conductors.

The invention has for its object to design a spring contact described above so that the spring contact can be opened and closed again without the aid of tools.

To solve the problem is proposed according to claim 1, to arrange an actuator in the housing slidably in the longitudinal direction of the contact spring. At the same time, the actuator is according to the invention to the contact spring and is kinematically coupled to a rotary drive. By moving the actuator back and forth, the contact spring is thus opened the contact point for the electrical conductor and closed again. The back to the claim 1 dependent claims include partially advantageous and partially self-inventive developments of this invention.

In addition, an adjusting sleeve is rotatably mounted on the housing. This rotatably mounted adjusting sleeve serves as a rotary drive for the actuator. It is particularly simple to realize the rotary drive according to the invention by means of an internal thread on the adjusting sleeve and acting on the type of a rack external thread on the housing.

In a further embodiment, the contact spring is configured angular. The angle-shaped contact spring has a spring arm and an integrally formed at the end of the spring arm and the spring arm thus complementary to the angular contact arm. The contact arm in turn is penetrated by a contact window, through which the conductor can be inserted through to the connection.

In this embodiment, the actuator abuts the top of the spring arm.

In a preferred embodiment, the actuator is designed as extending in the transverse direction of the contact spring actuating bar. The bar has the advantage that it acts on the respective spring leg, so the clamping leg or the spring arm over its or its entire width, thus ensuring a particularly good power transmission.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the adjusting bar on a footprint, which acts on the contact spring, in particular the spring arm of the contact spring at an angle of 45 degrees.

In a further embodiment, the actuator is arranged on the underside of the clamping leg of the contact spring. The contact element is designed in the manner of a cam or in turn as a control bar to the clamping leg of the contact spring up or down perpendicular to the central longitudinal direction of the contact spring to move. As a result, the contact point is opened or closed at the end of the contact spring.

To realize a multi-pole spring contact is proposed in an advantageous embodiment, to arrange a plurality of contact springs side by side and provide a number of contact springs corresponding number of actuators, in particular control strips. These actuators or adjusting strips are staggered in a preferred embodiment in the longitudinal direction of the contact springs arranged side by side to open the contact springs successively or close.

In a further preferred embodiment form an external thread on the housing and an internal thread on the adjusting sleeve a rotary push joint as a drive for the actuator. It is advantageous to provide a stop on the rotary sliding joint or on the threads acting as a rotary sliding joint which fixes the thread in the maximum open position of the contact spring in order to indicate to the operator this opening position and thus facilitate the connection of the electrical conductor. Further, a locking of the thread may be provided in the final assembled state, to prevent accidental opening of the spring contact with connected electrical conductor.

For completeness, it should be mentioned that the rotary sliding joint can also be configured bayonet-like or ratchet-like.

Fig. 1

eine geschnittene Draufsicht auf das Isoliergehäuse,

Fig. 2

eine geschnittene Ansicht der als Drehantrieb wirksamen Gewindehülse,

Fig. 3

den erfindungsmäßigen Federkontakt mit dem Isoliergehäuse aus Fig. 1 und der Gewindehülse auf Fig. 2 in einer geschnittenen Draufsicht in seiner geschlossenen Montagestellung,

Fig. 4

den Federkontakt auf Fig. 3 in seiner geöffneten Kontaktstellung,

Fig. 5

stellung, eine in Querrichtung gesehene geschnittene Seitenansicht der Kontaktfeder und Teilen des Federkontakts aus Fig. 3,

Fig. 6

den Federkontakt aus Fig. 5 beim Einführen eines elektrischen Leiters,

Fig. 7

eine weitere Ausführungsform des Isoliergehäuses in geschnittener Draufsicht,

Fig. 8

eine weitere Draufsicht der als Drehantrieb wirksamen Gewindehülse,

Fig. 9

den mit dem Isoliergehäuse aus Fig. 7 und der Gewindehülse aus Fig. 8 zusammengesetzten Federkontakt in geschnittener Draufsicht in geschlossener Montageposition,

Fig. 10

den Federkontakt aus Fig. 9 in geschlossener Montageposition,

Fig. 11

eine der Kontaktfedern aus Fig. 9 sowie,

Fig. 12

eine der Kontaktfedern aus Fig. 10.

Reference to the embodiment shown in the drawings, the invention is explained in more detail. Show it:

Fig. 1

a sectional plan view of the insulating housing,

Fig. 2

a sectional view of the effective as a rotary drive threaded sleeve,

Fig. 3

the inventive spring contact with the insulating Fig. 1 and the threaded sleeve on Fig. 2 in a sectional plan view in its closed mounting position,

Fig. 4

the spring contact on Fig. 3 in its open contact position,

Fig. 5

position, a cross-sectional side view seen the contact spring and parts of the spring contact Fig. 3 .

Fig. 6

the spring contact off Fig. 5 when inserting an electrical conductor,

Fig. 7

a further embodiment of the insulating housing in a sectional plan view,

Fig. 8

a further plan view of the effective as a rotary drive threaded sleeve,

Fig. 9

the with the insulating Fig. 7 and the threaded sleeve Fig. 8 composite spring contact in a sectional plan view in a closed mounting position,

Fig. 10

the spring contact off Fig. 9 in closed mounting position,

Fig. 11

one of the contact springs Fig. 9 such as,

Fig. 12

one of the contact springs Fig. 10 ,

The Fig. 1 shows the housing 1 of a connector. In the exemplary embodiment, this housing 1 is cylindrical. In the left part of the Fig. 1 is the coupling portion 2 of the housing 1 shown schematically. In the coupling region 2, the plug contacts and / or socket contacts of the connector are arranged. In the coupling region 2 in the longitudinal direction 3 remote from the region of the housing 1, the contact spring 4 is arranged. Below the contact spring 4 shows Fig. 1 the housing support surface 5 carries in turn the actuator 6. The actuator 6 is configured in the embodiment as in the longitudinal direction 3 perpendicular to the transverse direction 7 extending adjusting bar 8. The actuator 6 has in addition to the actual, the contact spring 4 in the embodiment in Fig. 1 on its underside 9 act on adjusting bar 8 still two lateral, in the longitudinal direction 4 of the adjusting bar 8 projecting supporting cheeks 10.

To drive the actuator 6, the housing 1 carries an external thread 11. On the external thread 11 is the in Fig. 2 shown adjusting sleeve 12 screwed. The Adjusting sleeve 12 carries this an internal thread 13. From the inner sides of the adjusting sleeve 12 are at the end of the internal thread 13 two cams 14 in the interior of the adjusting sleeve 12 in. These cams 14 engage in receiving pockets 15 on the housing support surface 5. The cams 14 and the receiving pockets 15 thus form a positive tongue and groove connection.

• Bei geschlossener Kontaktfeder 4 ist die Stellhülse 12 gleichsam zugeschraubt, so dass das Hülsenende 16 an dem am Gehäuse 1 ausgebildeten Anschlag 17 anliegt. Wird die Stellhülse 12 in Längsrichtung 3 vom Anschlag 17 und damit vom Gehäuse 2 weggeschraubt, bewegt sich die Stellhülse 12 und gemeinsam mit der Stellhülse 12 das Stellglied 6 in der Darstellung der Fig. 4 in Längsrichtung 3 nach rechts.

The function of the adjusting sleeve 12 is from the comparative consideration of FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 recognizable:

• When the contact spring 4 is closed, the adjusting sleeve 12 is screwed on, so to speak, so that the sleeve end 16 bears against the stop 17 formed on the housing 1. If the adjusting sleeve 12 in the longitudinal direction 3 from the stop 17 and thus unscrewed from the housing 2, the adjusting sleeve 12 moves and together with the adjusting sleeve 12, the actuator 6 in the illustration of Fig. 4 in the longitudinal direction 3 to the right.

The Fig. 5 schematically shows a side view of the inventive spring contact, the viewing direction of Fig. 5 the transverse direction 7 in the Fig. 1 to Fig. 4 equivalent. In the Fig. 5 are first the contact spring 4, the actuator 6 and the stop 17 of the housing 1 recognizable. Furthermore, a contact pin 18 arranged in the coupling region 2 of a plug contact is shown.

The functional position of the actuator 6 relative to the contact spring 4 corresponds to the illustration of Fig. 3 , Fig. 6 In contrast, the corresponding position of the contact spring 4 and the actuator 6 according to the in Fig. 4 illustrated functional position. Here is opposite the in Fig. 5 shown starting position, the actuator 6 in the longitudinal direction 3 is shifted to the right, whereby the end of the contact spring 4 lifts from the housing support surface 5 and opens the contact. In Fig. 6 is the mouth-like contact opening 19 generated between the housing support surface 5 and the end of the contact spring 4 clearly visible. For mounting a conductor 25 whose stripped conductor end 24 is simply inserted into the contact opening 19 and the actuator 6 again in his in the Fig. 3 respectively. Fig. 5 shown starting position back, so that the end of the contact spring. 4 is again approached to the housing support surface 5, so that the mouth-shaped contact opening 19 is closed again.

Fig. 7 again shows a housing 1, wherein the with the representation of Fig. 1 matching parts bear the same reference numerals. It is therefore below only on the differences in the Fig. 1 to Fig. 6 shown embodiment on the one hand and in the Fig. 7 On the other hand received ff.

The representation of the Fig. 8 First, it can be seen that the adjusting sleeve 12 in this alternative embodiment not only carries the internal thread 13 on its inner walls. Rather, two actuators 6 are provided. These actuators 6 have a running at an angle of about 45 degrees footprint 20. The representation of the Fig. 9 It can also be seen that two spring contacts are provided in this embodiment. Each spring contact in turn has a contact spring 4. However, the contact spring 4 has a spring arm 21 and a contact arm 22.

To connect the conductor 25, not shown in the drawings, the adjusting sleeve 12 is again screwed in the longitudinal direction 3 to the right. The shelves 20 engage with the spring arms 21 of the contact springs 4 and press against the spring arms 21 so that the extending in the transverse direction 7 contact arms 22 of the contact springs 4 in the transverse direction 7 in the interior of the adjusting sleeve 12 are moved into it. In this way, molded contact windows 23 are exposed in the contact arms 22 so that the conductor ends 24, not shown in the figure drawings can be inserted in the longitudinal direction 3 in the contact window 23. By turning back the adjusting sleeve 12 to the left in their in Fig. 9 shown initial position also springs the spring arm 21 back to its original position, so that the contact window 23 is closed again with the result that the conductor end 24 clamped rests in the contact window 23.

The main operating advantage of the invention is to be able to open and close the spring contact without the aid of tools by a rotary movement, in particular screwing movement of the adjusting sleeve 12.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

casing

2

coupling region

3

longitudinal direction

4

contact spring

5

Housing support surface

6

actuator

7

transversely

8th

actuating strip

9

bottom

10

supporting side

11

external thread

12

adjusting sleeve

13

inner thread

14

cam

15

receiving pocket

16

sleeve end

17

attack

18

pin

19

contact opening

20

footprint

21

spring arm

22

contact

23

contact window

24

conductor end

25

ladder

Claims (6)

Spring contact for connecting an electrical conductor (25) to a contact spring (4) mounted on a housing (1) and clamping the electrical conductor in the connected state, and with an actuator (6) acting on the contact spring (4) and displaceable along the contact spring (4) ) with a rotary drive for opening and closing the contact point of the spring contact,
marked by
a housing (1) rotatably mounted and with the actuator (6) kinematically coupled adjusting sleeve (12) as a rotary drive for the actuator (6) with an internal thread (13) on the adjusting sleeve (12) and an external thread (11) on the housing ( 1). Spring contact according to claim 1
marked by
an angle-shaped contact spring (4) with a spring arm (21) and with a at the end of the spring arm (21) formed and at an angle from the spring arm (21) protruding contact arm (22) and with a connected conductor (25) from the conductor end (24 ) penetrated contact window (23) in the contact arm (22), wherein the actuator (6) rests against the upper side of the spring arm (21). Spring contact according to claim 2
marked by
an actuator (6) with a top surface of the spring arm (21) of the contact spring (4) acted upon at an angle of 45 degrees footprint (20). Spring contact according to claim 1
characterized,
that the actuator (6) rests against the underside of the clamping leg of the contact spring (4). Spring contact according to one of the preceding claims
marked by
an actuator (6) designed as a setting bar (8). Spring contact according to one of the preceding claims
marked by
a plurality of juxtaposed contact springs (4) for connecting a plurality of conductors (24) side by side and by a number of contact springs (4) corresponding number of actuators (6), which are arranged in the longitudinal direction (3) of the contact springs (4) staggered side by side.

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