EP3439119B1 - Device plug, device connection system and electric device - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device plug for locking into an opening of a device housing sheet and for receiving a device socket with a device plug housing, a device plug interior and an electrical contacting element which is guided from the device plug interior to an outside area, the device plug housing having an outdoor device system and a sheet metal locking element, as well as a device connection system and an electrical appliance.

Electrical devices such as microwaves, coffee machines, ovens or dishwashers require electrical energy to function.

In order to be able to ensure this energy supply, the devices must be connected to the building's electrical installation network.

This is usually done by plugging a power plug firmly connected to the device into the building's electrical installation.

The problem here is that a large number of countries have their own standard for the characteristics of the electrical power plug and the power socket in the building's electrical installation network.

This so-called country standard means that the device manufacturer must produce and maintain a large number of device variants in order to be able to serve all of his customers if the mains connection cable is permanently installed on the device.

This sometimes causes high costs and makes series production inefficient.

This problem is eased when using device connection systems, consisting of device connection plugs and device connection socket with power cord in the corresponding country version.

When using such a system, the device manufacturer is able to manufacture a standard device, regardless of the special power cord for the country in which the device is later used, which only becomes a country variant of the electrical device at the end of the manufacturing process, in the logistics center or at the end customer by plugging in the power cable.

This brings the device manufacturers great advantages in the manufacture and logistics of the devices.

Such device connection systems are available on the market in standardized and non-standardized form and are used in large numbers.

Their characteristics in terms of geometric shape, arrangement and characteristics of the contacts, connection of the mains protective conductor, etc. are partly similar, but also very different.

Among other things, there are significant differences in the area of insertion and locking of the device plug in the device housing and the device socket in the device plug.

There are device plugs and device sockets which are screwed, snapped or screwed into the corresponding counterpart such as housing cut-out or device plug.

In any case, the aim is to ensure that the connected elements cannot inadvertently be separated after they have been installed, as this would pose a risk to functional and device safety.

For this purpose, the insertion element such as the device plug or the device socket or the receiving element such as the metal housing wall or the device plug can have additional elements such as screws or spring elements or features such as latching hooks, which ensure the secure connection of the elements.

Since when device connection systems are used in large-scale production, their procurement costs and the effort involved in their assembly play an important role, systems are often preferred which ensure the required functions without additional elements such as screws or clamping springs.

Such a device connection system, which fixes the position of the device plug in the sheet metal housing cutout and the The device socket is fixed in position in the device plug, as described in the publication DE 20 2013 100 297 U1 which discloses a device plug according to the preamble of claim 1.

The double locking hook used in this technical solution offers the advantage that the device plug is fixed in position in the device housing and the device socket is fixed in position in the device plug with a locking hook.

The disadvantage of this system is that the double locking hook is not equally suitable for all sheet metal cutout technology.

Another disadvantage is that with a device plug installed in the sheet metal cutout, a socket inserted into this can only be disconnected with a great deal of force.

A mains connection socket with a permanently connected mains cable and the option of an integrated mains filter is specified in the document DE 203 03 488 U1 presented.

The connection of this solution to the housing wall takes place both via latching hooks and via screw connections and is therefore very expensive to implement.

In scripture DE 10 2007 057 335 A1 a device connection system for household appliances is presented. This consists of a device plug for installation in the floor-standing device and a device connection socket for connection to the power line. Both of them work together to establish the connection between the electrical network and the electrical device.

The document does not disclose how the system is mechanically and electrically securely connected and the individual components are fixed in place in a sustainable and cost-effective manner.

In the WO 2016/071218 A1 discloses a household appliance with a mains connection socket for plugging in a mains connection line with a plug that matches the mains connection.

The font GB 1 420 177 A describes an electrical connector comprising an electrically insulating body formed from a synthetic plastics material and carrying an electrical contact which can cooperate with an electrical contact of a complementary connector, the body comprising a portion which is intended to extend through a Opening in a panel to which the connector is to be attached and an integral flange portion adapted to abut the panel adjacent the opening.

The font CN 204 858 186 U discloses an appliance inlet including a socket outlet that is fitted with a fixed wedge on the socket outlet, the metallic outer wall being fitted with screws. The metallic outer wall is equipped with the intermediate ring corresponding to the circumference. It becomes a firming effect through use reached the screw, thus creating a fastening by means of the metallic outer element.

The object of the invention is to improve the state of the art.

The object is achieved by a device plug according to claim 1, in particular by a device plug for locking into an opening of a device housing sheet and for receiving a device socket with a device plug housing, a device plug interior and an electrical contacting element which is guided from the device plug interior to an outside area, the device plug housing an outdoor device system and a sheet metal locking element, and the sheet metal locking element comprises a partially accommodating gap, so that the sheet metal locking element is designed as a spring element and the gap is designed such that a gap thickness between the sheet metal locking element and the outdoor unit system is designed to accommodate the device housing sheet, so that during a locking process in the opening of the device housing plate by contacting the Blechverrastelements with the device housing plate forming the opening into the Blechverrastelement into the device plug interior sprung and is sprung back when latching, the gap thickness essentially taking up part of the device housing sheet.

Advantageous refinements and developments are the subject matter of the respective dependent claims.

Thus, a device plug can be provided which can be inserted into an opening of a device housing sheet in one operation and is firmly locked when an end position is reached by the resilient sheet metal latching elements or the resilient sheet metal latching element. In particular, no further locking steps such as folding pins and the like are necessary. In addition, secure locking is guaranteed and future unplugging and plugging in a device socket or external forces that act on the device plug do not lead to the device plug being torn out of the device housing sheet and thus out of any electrical device in normal application scenarios.

The following terms are explained:
A "device plug" is a device for a device socket and, in combination with the device socket and a downstream conductive cable, is used to electrically connect an electrical device to a building's electrical installation network. The terms "plug" and "socket" are sometimes used inversely, so that "device plug and device socket" and "device socket and device plug" are used synonymously with one another. In the device plug, there are mostly bare metal contacts in an interior area, which can be inserted into corresponding receptacles in the device socket and are there often electrically connected to conductive metal receptacles in a clamping manner.

In addition, the device plug usually forms a receptacle for the device socket, so that device sockets and device plugs are designed to be pluggable with one another and corresponding to one another for the purpose of electrical connection.

The "device socket" is - as described above - designed both in terms of shape and in an electrically contacting manner, corresponding to the device plug. The device socket can have a downstream handle part, the device socket being essentially connected via an electrical cable to a mains plug, usually a Schuko plug, which can be plugged into a socket of an in-house electrical network (building installation network), for example.

The device plug has a "device plug housing". This device connector housing is used, among other things, to accommodate the device socket and can have corresponding guide rails, locks and the like for the device socket. The device socket is mostly located in a "device plug interior". In this device plug interior, electrical contacting elements are usually arranged in the middle. These electrical contacting elements are often metallic pins which are aligned axially parallel to one another. The "electrical contacting element" thus protrudes from the interior of the device plug to an exterior area. This "outside area" is mostly inside the electrical device to be contacted. In the outside area, electrical contact is usually made manually with the electronics / electrics forming the electrical device.

The "outdoor device system" is usually designed as a circumferential collar which, on the one hand, covers and conceals an opening in the device housing plate after the device plug has been inserted into the opening of the device housing plate and, on the other hand, prevents the device plug from entering the interior of the electrical device due to the usual Kraftwein effect can be pushed in. In most cases, the outdoor unit system is therefore an element that is permanently connected to the device plug.

The "sheet metal locking element" works in the opposite direction to the external device system and prevents the device plug (from the device housing) from being pulled out (from the device housing) in normal applications in the locked position by resting surfaces that are in particular on the device housing sheet. The sheet metal locking element is formed overall by a partially circumferential gap. This "partially circumferential gap" is designed in particular essentially U-shaped or V-shaped and can act as a spring, for example if the device plug and thus the sheet metal latching element are designed using plastic. "Resilient" is to be understood in particular to mean that when the sheet metal locking element is displaced, for example, into the interior of the device housing, the metal locking element comes out of the interior of the device housing by a restoring force.

In particular, an “upper part of the partially circumferential gap” is designed in such a way that the device housing sheet can be received by this part. So can For example, the Blechverrastelement have a slightly beveled surface in the upper area, which contacts the device housing sheet through the resilient effect of the Blechverrastelements, whereby a firm, pressing contact is formed by the Blechverrastelement in cooperation with the outdoor unit system. Of course, it is also possible that a small remaining gap is formed between the sheet metal latching element and the device housing sheet.

The "gap thickness" thus serves to accommodate the device housing sheet and has, for example, approximately the size that corresponds to the material thickness of the device housing sheet at the opening of the device housing sheet.

A "latching process" comprises pushing the device plug into the opening of the device housing sheet from the outside in the direction of the electrical device and the latching process is only completed when the sheet-metal latching element springs back and the device plug is firmly seated in the device housing sheet.

In particular, in the event that the sheet metal latching elements are designed protruding from the device plug interior, the sheet metal latching element or, correspondingly, the sheet metal latching elements come into contact with the edges of the opening of the device housing sheet metal during latching. By pushing in, the Blechverrastelement or the Blechverrastelemente are shifted accordingly in the direction of the interior of the device connector and spring accordingly when a End position off again and "lock" the device plug in the opening of the device housing sheet.

A "device housing sheet" is in particular a side wall or, correspondingly, a rear wall of an electrical device. This side wall essentially forms an "opening" for receiving a device plug, which was stamped onto the device housing sheet, for example.

According to the invention, two or more sheet metal locking elements are provided.

In order to achieve a particularly firm fit of the device plug in the device housing sheet and use as little material as possible, the device plug housing can be designed essentially cuboid, and / or a sheet metal locking element can be arranged at each corner of the device plug housing. In this case, in particular, four sheet metal locking elements are provided on the device connector housing.

“Essentially cuboid” means that the device plug can be inserted, in particular, in a rectangular opening in the device housing sheet. Of course, the device plug or the device plug housing can have openings and recesses, and in particular the corners and edges are not rectangular but rounded.

As a result of the four-point fixation, tensile forces are impressed on the device housing sheet via the four sheet metal latching elements arranged in the corners.

In a further embodiment, the sheet metal locking elements have a cone so that when the device plug is pushed into the openings of the device housing sheet in an insertion direction for the purpose of locking by contacting the respective cone, the associated locking element is spring-loaded into the device plug interior.

Thus, the sheet metal latching elements cannot be arranged in a protruding manner, so that the production of these using injection molding technology is significantly simplified.

A “cone” is in particular a technical component which has the shape of a cone or a truncated cone. This can also be a partial cone. It is essential that there is an increase in the diameter or in accordance with the material thickness along an axis.

In order to implement country-specific properties in particular, different plugs are used for the in-house electricity network. The plugs to be used for this differ depending on the country. It is therefore advisable to connect such plugs with a cable and the uniform device socket and thus comply with country-specific requirements. In such cases, a fixed connection of the device plug and the Device socket. This fixed connection can be implemented, for example, by a resilient can latching device or a plurality of resilient can latching devices.

These resilient socket latching elements usually have a hook, such as latching hooks or a corresponding receptacle, with the device socket having the respectively corresponding element for the hooking function. The Dosenverrastelement can also be designed as a barb with a corresponding counter-element. When the device socket is pushed into the device plug, the resilient socket latching device or the resilient socket latching devices are briefly sprung outwards and after the device socket has reached the end position in the device plug, it is compressed, with the hook and the corresponding receptacle being firmly connected to one another. In particular, these resilient can latching devices or the resilient can latching device can be formed by a partially circumferential can latching gap.

This "partially circumferential Dosenverrastspalt" is designed in particular U- or V-shaped.

In order to save injection molding material and to use common units for the sheet metal locking elements and the resilient can locking device or the corresponding can locking devices, it is provided according to this invention that a partially circumferential Dosenverrastspalt each share a recess with a part of the partially circumferential gap of two Blechverrastelemente.

In particular, when the sheet metal locking elements are arranged at the corners and the resilient can locking device is arranged in the middle between two sheet metal locking elements resting on the same side, this embodiment can be formed.

Thus, the sheet metal latching elements and the resilient socket latching device or further resilient socket latching devices can be formed in one piece by the device plug housing. As a result, a simple injection molding production of the device plug including all components can be realized. In addition, the one-piece structure can also include the outdoor unit system. This means that, apart from the metallic contacting elements, the entire device connector can be manufactured by means of an injection molding process.

In a further aspect, the object is achieved by a device connection system with a previously described device plug and a connector-corresponding device socket and by an electrical device with a device housing plate and a device plug described above, the device plug being locked in an opening in the device housing plate.

Figur 1

eine schematische Darstellung eines Geräteanschlusssystems, bestehend aus einem Gerätestecker und einer Winkelgerätedose in einem nicht gesteckten Zustand,

Figur 2

eine schematische Darstellung des Gerätesteckers in einem verrasteten Zustand im Gerätegehäuseblech,

Figur 3

den verrasteten Gerätestecker aus Figur 2 in einer Rückansicht und

Figur 4

den Gerätestecker bei einem Einschieben in ein Gerätegehäuseblech.

The invention is further explained in more detail using an exemplary embodiment. Show it

Figure 1

a schematic representation of a device connection system, consisting of a device plug and an angled device socket in an unplugged state,

Figure 2

a schematic representation of the device plug in a locked state in the device housing sheet,

Figure 3

the locked device plug Figure 2 in a rear view and

Figure 4

the device plug when it is inserted into a device housing panel.

A device connection system 101 has an angled device socket 131 and a device plug 151. The angled device socket 131 comprises a socket 133 and a socket latching hook counter element 135.

The device plug 151 is formed by an essentially cuboid device plug housing 173, a device plug interior 171 and current contacts 155 located from the device plug interior 171 and led to the outside. In addition, the device plug 151 has a system collar 153 and four sheet metal locking hooks 159 located in the corners, which are formed by vertical slots 165 and a gap 169 on both sides. The sheet metal locking hooks 159 have an integrally formed cone 167. Because the gap 169, together with the slots 165 on both sides, is U-shaped Forms free space or gap, the sheet metal latching hook 159 can spring into the device plug interior 171.

In addition, socket locking hooks 157 are arranged in the device plug 151, which interact with the socket locking hook counter-elements 135 of the angled device socket 131 in such a way that when the angled device socket 131 is inserted into the device plug 151, the socket 133 is connected to the device plug 151. The can locking hooks 157 are part of the can locking spring 175. The can locking spring 175 and one sheet metal locking hook 159 each share the slots 165 on both sides.

In addition, the angled device socket 131 has corresponding power contacts (not shown), so that the power contacts 155 can be used to transmit electrical energy via the angled device socket 131 and the contacts.

In the present case, the device plug 151 is to be inserted in the insertion direction 161 into a device housing plate 271 (see Figure 4 ). As a result of the advance in the insertion direction 161, the cone 167 makes contact with the edges of the device housing sheet 271. As a result, the sheet metal latching hooks 159 are pressed (sprung) into the device plug interior 171. As soon as the gap 169 reaches the device housing sheet metal 271, the sheet metal latching hooks 159 are sprung back against the spring direction 163. The gap 169 thus comprises parts of the device housing plate 271. By supporting the individual Sheet metal locking hooks 159 and the contact collar 153, the device plug 151 forms a fixed connection with the device housing sheet 271.

Now the angled device socket 131 can be pushed into the device plug 151, with the socket latching springs 175 being sprung into the outer area by the socket latching hook counter elements 135 when it is inserted. When the end position is reached, the socket locking hook counter element 135 and the socket locking hooks 157 of the socket locking spring 175 interlock, so that a firm connection between the angled device socket 131 and the device plug 151 is established.

List of reference symbols

101

Device connection system

131

Angled device box

133

Can

135

Can latch hook counter element

151

Device plug

153

Attachment tape

155

Power contacts

157

Can locking hook

159

Sheet metal locking hook

161

Insertion direction

163

Spring direction

165

slot

167

cone

169

gap

171

Device connector interior

173

Device connector housing

175

Can locking spring

271

Device housing sheet

Claims (6)

1. Device plug (151) for latching into an opening of a device housing plate (271) and for receiving a device socket (133), having a device plug housing (173), a device plug interior (171), and an electrical contact element (155) which leads from the device plug interior to an outer area, wherein the device plug housing comprises an external device arrangement (153) and two plate latching elements, three plate latching elements, four plate latching elements, or further plate latching elements (159), wherein each plate latching element respectively comprises a partially circumferential gap such that the plate latching element is in each case designed as a resilient element, and the respective gap is designed in such a way that a gap width (169) between the plate latching element and the outer device arrangement for receiving the device housing plate is designed so that, during a latching process into the opening of the device housing plate by way of contact between the plate latching element and the device housing cover forming the opening, the plate latching element is resiliently guided into the device plug interior and is resiliently retained when latched, wherein the gap width substantially receives a portion of the device housing cover, and the device plug, which is designed as an injection-moulded part, comprises a resiliently acting socket latching apparatus (157, 175), and the resiliently acting socket latching apparatus is formed by a partially circumferential socket latching gap, wherein the plate latching elements and the resiliently acting socket latching apparatus, or further resiliently acting socket latching apparatuses, are integrally formed by way of the device plug housing, characterized in that a partially circumferential socket latching gap in each case shares a recess with a respective portion of the partially circumferential gap of two plate latching elements.
2. Device plug according to claim 1, characterized in that the device plug housing is designed to be substantially cuboid in shape, and a plate latching element is arranged on each of the corner edges of the device plug housing.
3. Device plug according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plate latching element has, or each have, a tapered section such that, when the device plug is pushed in an inserting direction (161) into the opening of the device housing plate for the purpose of latching by way of contact with the respective tapered section, the associated latching element is resiliently guided into the device plug interior.
4. Device plug according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by further resiliently acting socket latching apparatuses.
5. Device connection system (101) having a device plug (151) according to one of the preceding claims and a device socket (131) corresponding to said plug.
6. Electrical device having a device housing plate and a device plug according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the device plug is latched into an opening of the device housing plate.

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