EP3386033B1 - Insulating element for a connector unit - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an insulating body for a connector unit and a method for producing such an insulating body.

Connectors, which have two mutually complementary connector units, are used to separate and connect electrical lines and electrical devices. The connector units in this case normally comprise a plurality of contact pins or contact sockets which are insulated from one another and connected to electrical lines.

Various plug connectors are known from the prior art, which are particularly suitable for applications in mechanical engineering, in electrical switch cabinets or for applications with increased requirements in terms of mechanical or chemical robustness. In order to meet the requirements with regard to robustness, the connectors are designed with massive housings, which leads to a very high space requirement. The housing size is further influenced by the internal insulating body and the elements required to fix the insulating body to the housing.

From the EP2034562B1 a connector with a one-piece insulating body is known. On the outside, the insulating body has tightly packed, fine-articulated structures which ensure insulation between adjacent contacts. Dirt particles regularly collect between the delicate structures through which leakage currents can flow, so that the insulation properties of the connector are impaired.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of creating an improved insulating body for plug connectors or plug connector units.

In particular, the insulating body should be able to accommodate and guide a large number of electrical contacts that are electrically isolated from one another.

Furthermore, the insulating body should have a compact design and be suitable for rated voltages of at least 400V. The insulating body should be able to accommodate contact pins and contact sockets with increased density without increased war currents occurring.

In addition, the structures on the outside of the insulating body should be designed in such a way that, despite the particles deposited due to contamination, there is a sufficiently large creepage distance as a minimum creepage distance (according to IEC 60664-1) between adjacent conductive elements.

Furthermore, a method for producing such an insulating body is to be specified. Furthermore, male and female connector units are to be created which are equipped with an insulating body according to the invention and which can be assembled to form a connector

This object is achieved with an insulating body and a method which have the features specified in claim 1 and in claim 13. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in further claims.

The insulating body, which is suitable for use in an electrical connector unit, comprises at least two, preferably a plurality of, insertion channels for receiving of contact pins or contact sockets. The insertion channels are preferably aligned along a main axis of the insulating body in order to enable a compact design. Stripped cable ends can be inserted into the insertion channels and can be fixed in the contact pins or contact sockets. The insulating body further has at least two, preferably a plurality of fixing channels which are aligned at least approximately perpendicular to the insertion channels. A fixing channel is assigned to each insertion channel in such a way that the clamping screw inserted in the fixing channel can mechanically act on the contact pin or contact socket mounted in the insertion channel. On the outside of the insulating body, at least two, preferably a large number of insulating collars, which are aligned at least approximately coaxially to the fixing channels, are integrally formed. The insulating collars ensure the lateral electrical insulation of the clamping screws that are electrically connected to the contact pins or contact sockets.

According to the invention, the insulating collars each have at least one collar opening which is delimited on both sides by collar ends. The collar openings increase the distance between the delicate insulating collars so that small dirt particles can no longer get stuck between the insulating collars. Protective particles deposited on insulating bodies can cause leakage currents, which lead to failure of the insulating body and the connector connected to it, as the electrical insulation is no longer guaranteed. According to the invention, the creepage distance along the surface of the insulating body is increased by the collar openings, so that the operational reliability of the insulating body is improved or an increased density of the connection contacts can also be achieved.

According to the invention, the insulating collars are designed as hollow cylinder segments, which are then missing a wooden cylinder segment at the collar ends. The collar ends form edges which are aligned parallel to one another and which delimit the collar opening. This geometric shape enables simple production.

In a further preferred embodiment, an insulating edge for electrical insulation of the adjacent clamping screws with regard to leakage currents is formed on the outside of the insulating body. The leakage currents can flow along the surface from the clamping screws to a protective conductor and / or to the connector housing and / or to the holding means. The insulation edge increases the creepage distance and reduces the creepage currents accordingly.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the collar openings in the insulating collar are each aligned with the adjacent insulating collar or against the insulating edge. This increases the space between adjacent insulating collars at the narrowest point, so that smaller particles can no longer be mechanically blocked. The adjacent insulation collars are preferably aligned in a row, the collar openings pointing at least approximately in the same direction and having a common opening axis.

The insulating collars preferably have a wall thickness of 0.4 to 1.5 mm. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the insulating collars have a wall thickness between 0.75 mm and 1.0 mm.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the insulating body, the insulating collars are attached to the inside one or more blocking ribs for the mechanical blocking of the clamping screws, molded onto the inside of the fixing channels. The blocking ribs prevent the clamping screws from loosening or falling out, for example due to vibrations.

The collar openings preferably have an opening width of 1.0 to 8.0 mm. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the collar openings have an opening width between 1.5 mm and 3.0 mm. The collar openings preferably have an opening angle between 60 ° and 120 ° relative to the central axis of the insulating collar. The opening angle is particularly preferably in the range of 90 ° plus / minus 5 °.

In a further preferred embodiment, the surface of the insulating body has dirt-repellent and / or self-cleaning properties. This property is preferably achieved by a coating which is dirt-repellent and / or self-cleaning. The dirt-repellent and / or self-cleaning surface also reduces the accumulation of dirt particles on the insulating body.

The material for the insulating body or, if appropriate, for the coating of the insulating body preferably has a high creepage resistance, so that the insulating body can be assigned to a better insulating material group in accordance with IEC 60664-1.

The insulation distance between a clamping screw and the adjacent insulating collar is preferably in a range of 0.75mm-1.25mm, particularly preferably 1mm. These values can be adapted accordingly as a function of the environmental conditions in which the plug connectors according to the invention are used.

In a further preferred embodiment, latching projections and holding means guides for the mechanical fixing of holding means are provided on at least two opposite sides of the insulating body. By means of the holding means, the insulating body can be attached and / or fixed in a housing of a plug connector.

The insulating body is preferably suitable for rated voltages of at least 400V. In spite of particles deposited on the insulating body due to contamination, it is particularly preferred that creepage distances according to the IEC 60664-1 standard are so small that no electrical flashovers occur during the life of the insulating body.

In a preferred embodiment, coding elements, preferably coding webs (17) or coding grooves (18), are integrally formed on the insulating body. The coding elements ensure the correct plug connection.

Plug connector units can advantageously be implemented with an insulating body according to the invention. The connector comprises two connector units, one connector unit each being designed as a female or male connector half. Both connector units preferably each comprise an insulating body according to the invention.

An insulating body according to the invention is preferably produced by a method according to the invention. The process is a primary molding process, in particular a casting process, a die-casting process or an injection molding process. Alternatively, a 3D printing process can also be used. The method preferably comprises at least one material-removing method Process step. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the method, the collar openings are formed on the insulating collar during the material-removing process step.

Fig. 1a

einen erfindungsgemässen Isolierkörper 1 mit Haltemitteln 2, 2';

Fig. 1b

eine Detailansicht des Isolierkörpers 1 von Fig. 1a;

Fig. 2

den Isolierkörper 1 von Fig. 1a in einer weiteren Ansicht mit explosionsartig dargestelltem Haltemittel 2;

Fig. 3

eine Steckverbindereinheit 10 mit einem mit Kontaktstiften 5 bestückten Isolierkörper 1 von Fig. 1a mit einer kreisförmig hervorgehobenen Einsicht ins Innere des Isolierkörpers 1;

Fig. 4

die Steckverbindereinheit 10 von Fig. 1a in einer weiteren Ansicht;

Fig. 5a

den Isolierkörper 1 von Fig. 1a in einer Seitenansicht;

Fig. 5b

eine Detailansicht des Isolierkörpers 1 von Fig. 5a;

Fig. 6

einen Steckverbinder 100 mit zwei Steckverbindereinheiten 10, 10', die komplementär zueinander ausgebildete Isolierkörper 1, 1' aufweisen;

Fig. 7

den Steckverbinder 100 von Fig. 6 in einer teilweise geschnittenen Ansicht mit explosionsartig dargestellten Kontaktstiften 5 und Kontaktbuchsen 7;

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to drawings. It shows:

Fig. 1a

an insulating body 1 according to the invention with holding means 2, 2 ';

Figure 1b

a detailed view of the insulating body 1 of Fig. 1a ;

Fig. 2

the insulating body 1 of Fig. 1a in a further view with holding means 2 shown in an exploded manner;

Fig. 3

a connector unit 10 with an insulating body 1 fitted with contact pins 5 from Fig. 1a with a circular highlighted insight into the interior of the insulating body 1;

Fig. 4

the connector unit 10 of Fig. 1a in another view;

Figure 5a

the insulating body 1 of Fig. 1a in a side view;

Figure 5b

a detailed view of the insulating body 1 of Figure 5a ;

Fig. 6

a plug connector 100 with two plug connector units 10, 10 ', which have insulating bodies 1, 1' designed to be complementary to one another;

Fig. 7

the connector 100 of Fig. 6 in a partially sectioned view with contact pins 5 and contact sockets 7 shown in an exploded manner;

Fig. 1a shows an insulating body 1 according to the invention with holding means 2, 2 'in a perspective view. The insulating body 1 has a plurality of insertion channels 11A, 11B, 11C, ... which penetrate the insulating body 1 and which serve to receive contact pins or contact sockets (not shown). Each insertion channel 11A, 11B, 11C, ... is laterally assigned a fixing channel 12A, 12B, 12C, ..., into each of which a clamping screw 6 can be inserted. Insulating collars 13A, 13B, 13C, ... are arranged on each of the fixing channels 12A, 12B, 12C, ..., which laterally electrically isolate the clamping screw 6 arranged in the associated fixing channel 12A, 12B, 12C, .... At two ends of the insulating body 1, holding means 2, 2 'are shown, with which the insulating body 1 can be fixed with coupling means 4, 4' in a housing of a plug connector. The holding means 2, 2 'comprise latching elements 21 and at least one locking screw 3 for fixing on the insulating body 1. The locking screw 3 can simultaneously assume the function of the protective conductor contact. In this variant, the holding means 2, 2 'are designed as protective conductor plates.

Figure 1b FIG. 11 shows a detailed view of the insulating body 1 from FIG Fig. 1a . An insulating collar 13E is formed concentrically on the fixing channel 12E, which is designed as a hollow cylinder and lacks a hollow cylinder segment on the right-hand side, so that the insulating collar 13E has two collar ends 132 which delimit a collar opening 131E. The collar opening 131E, which results, for example, from a section through the insulating collar 13E, preferably has a rectangular cross section. A clamping screw 6, which can be rotated against the contact element, the contact pin or the contact socket, is inserted into the fixing channel 12E.

Fig. 2 shows the insulating body 1 of Fig. 1a in a further view with the holding means 2 shown in an exploded manner. Latching projections 14A, 14B and holding means guides 15A, 15B, into which corresponding elements of the holding means 2 can engage, are formed on the insulation body 1.

Fig. 3 shows the insulating body 1 of Fig. 1a with a circular highlighted view into the interior of the insulating body 1. In the insertion channels 11A, 11B, 11C contact pins 5 are arranged, in which an electrical conductor can be fixed by a clamping screw 6.

Fig. 4 shows the insulating body 1 of Fig. 1a in another view. The contact pins 5 protrude from the insulating body 1 so that they engage in a complementary connector half and can establish electrical contact. Coding webs 17 are formed on the insulating body and can engage in corresponding coding elements on a counterpart. The coding elements prevent two insulating bodies 1 from being plugged together in an incorrect position.

Figure 5a shows the insulating body 1 of Fig. 1a in a side view. The fixing channels 12A, 12B, 12C, ... are arranged in a row in the preferred embodiment shown. The insulating collars 13A, 13B, 13C, ... are arranged concentrically to the fixing channels 12A, 12B, 13C, ... The insulating collars 13A, 13B, 13C, ... have collar openings 131A, 131B, 131C, ... which are each directed in the direction of the adjacent insulating collar 13A, 13B, 13C.

Figure 5b FIG. 11 shows a detailed view of the insulating body 1 from FIG Figure 5a . The insulating collar 13E has a collar opening 131E which is directed in the direction of the adjacent insulating collar 13F. The insulation distance d denotes the distance between the electrically conductive clamping screw 6 im Fixing channel 12E and the adjacent insulating collar 13F, which isolates the adjacent clamping screw. The collar opening 131F in the insulating collar 13F has an opening width w. An insulation edge 16 is arranged adjacent to the insulation collar 13F, by means of which the lateral electrical insulation with respect to the holding means 2, 2 'and the elements attached to them is ensured. Two opposing blocking ribs 121F, 121F 'are integrally formed on the inside of the fixing channel 12F. The blocking ribs 121F, 121F 'prevent the clamping screw 6 from being loosened by vibrations or other movements of the insulating body 1.

Fig. 6 shows a connector 100 with connector units 10, 10 ', which have mutually complementary insulating bodies 1, 1'. The connector units 10, 10 'can include a housing not shown here. The second insulating body 1 ′ has coding grooves 18 which are shaped complementary to the coding elements on the insulating body 1.

Fig. 7 FIG. 10 shows the connector 100 of FIG Fig. 6 in a partially sectioned view with contact pins 5 and contact sockets 7 shown in an exploded manner. In the lower insulating body 1, contact pins 5 are arranged in the insertion channels 11A. In the upper insulating body 1 ', complementary contact sockets 7 are arranged in the insertion channels 11E for this purpose. Contact pins 5 and contact sockets 7 can be acted upon mechanically via clamping screws 6. The clamping screws 6 are guided in the fixing channels 12A, 12E, which are each surrounded by an insulating collar 13A, 13E. It is shown that the fixing channels 12A; 12E perpendicular to the insertion channels 11A; 11E aligned and from the hollow cylindrical insulating collar 13A; 13E are enclosed. The insulating collar 13A; 13E are integrally formed on the insulating body 1, 1 'and are guided to the outside so that they protrude beyond the insulating body 1, 1' to the outside. In this preferred embodiment, the insertion channels 11 are arranged in two rows, with two fixing channels 12 each lying coaxially opposite one another.

List of reference symbols

1, 1 '

Insulating body

11A, 11B, 11C, ...

Insertion channel

12A, 12B, 12C, ...

Fixation channel

121F, 121F '

Blocking rib

13A, 13B, 13C, ...

Insulating collar

131A, 131B, 131C, ...

Collar openings

132

Collar ends

14A, 14B

Locking projection

15A, 15B

Holding means guide

16

Isolation edge

17th

Coding bar

18th

Coding groove

2, 2 '

Holding means

21

Locking element

3

Adjusting screw

4, 4 '

Coupling agent

5

Contact pin

6th

Clamping screw

7th

Contact socket

d

Isolation distance

w

Opening width

Claims (13)

1. Insulating body (1) for an electrical connector unit (10, 10'), with at least two insertion channels (11A, 11B, 11C, ...) into each of which a contact pin (5) or a contact socket (7) can be inserted, which are preferably aligned parallel to a main axis (x) of the insulating body (1) and into each of which a preferably perpendicularly aligned fixing channel (12A; 12B; 12C; ...) opens, in which a clamping screw (6) is rotatably mounted by means of to which the assigned contact pin (5) or the assigned contact socket (7) can be acted upon mechanically, and to which an insulating collar (13A; 13B; 13C; ...) is assigned, which is at least approximately coaxial to the assigned fixing channel (11A; 11B; 11C, ...) on the outside of the insulating body (1) is arranged, characterized in that preferably each of the insulating collars (13A; 13B; 13C; ...) comprises at least one collar opening (131A, 131B, 131C ,...) and that the insulating collars (13A; 13B; 13C; ...) are designed as hollow cylinder elements, which adjoining the collar ends (132) lack a cylinder segment, the collar ends (132) preferably forming mutually parallel aligned edges.
2. Insulating body (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that on the outside of the insulating body (1) an insulating edge (16) for electrical insulation of at least one of the clamping screws (6) with respect to a protective conductor and/or a connector housing and/or the holding means (2, 2') is arranged.
3. Insulating body (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the collar openings (131A, 131B, 131C, ...) are aligned each against the adjacent insulating collar (13A;, 13B; 13C; ...) or against the insulating edge (6) or that the adjacent insulation collars (13A; 13B; 13C; ...) are aligned in a row and the collar openings (131A, 131B, 131C, ...) point at least approximately in the same direction and have one common opening axis.
4. Insulating body (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the insulating collars (13A, 13B, 13C, ...) have a wall thickness of 0.4mm to 1.5mm, preferably 0.75mm to 1mm, and/or that on the inside of the insulating collars (13A, 13B, 13C, ...) or on the inside of the fixing channels (12A, 12B, 13C, ...) one or more locking ribs (121F, 121F ') for mechanical blocking of the clamping screws (6) are molded on.
5. Insulating body (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the collar openings (13A, 13B, 13C, ...) have an opening width (w) between 1mm and 8mm, preferably between 1.5mm and 3mm, and / or that the collar openings (13A, 13B, 13C, ...) have an opening angle between 60 ° and 120 °, preferably about 90 °, relative to the central axis of the insulating collars (13A, 13B, 13C, ...).
6. Insulating body (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the surface of the insulating body (1) has dirt-repellent and / or self-cleaning properties.
7. Insulating body (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the insulation distance (d) between a clamping screw (6) and the adjacent insulating collar (13A, 13B, 13C, ...) or the insulating edge (16) is at least 1mm.
8. Insulating body (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that latching projections (14A, 14B) and holding means guides (15A, 15B) for mechanically fixing holding means (2, 2 ') on at least two opposite sides of the insulating body (1), by means of which the insulating body (1) can be fixed in a housing of a plug connector unit (10, 10 ') are arranged.
9. Insulating body (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the insulating body (1) is suitable for rated voltages of at least 400V and / or that coding elements, preferably coding webs (17) or coding grooves (18), are formed on the insulating body (1) are.
10. Insulating body (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the insulating body (1) is designed in such a way that particles deposited on the insulating body (1) due to contamination do not cause any creepage distances that are smaller than the minimum creepage distances according to IEC 60664-1 (according to IEC 60664-1).
11. Electrical connector unit (10, 10') with an insulating body (1) according to one of claims 1-10, which is equipped with contact pins (5) or contact sockets (7).
12. Electrical plug connector unit (10) according to claim 11, with an insulating body (1) fitted with contact pins (5) and connected to an electrical plug connector unit (10') which has an insulating body (1) fitted with contact sockets (7).
13. Method for producing an insulating body (1) according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that the insulating body (1) is manufactured by a primary molding process, in particular by casting, die casting or injection molding, or by a 3D printing process and / or that the manufacturing process of the insulating body (1) has at least one material-removing process step, preferably for designing the collar openings (131A, 131B, 131C, ...) on the insulating collars (13A, 13B, 13C, ...).

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