EP3446366B1 - Plug contact - Google Patents

Plug contact Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3446366B1
EP3446366B1 EP17718540.2A EP17718540A EP3446366B1 EP 3446366 B1 EP3446366 B1 EP 3446366B1 EP 17718540 A EP17718540 A EP 17718540A EP 3446366 B1 EP3446366 B1 EP 3446366B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
contact
plug
conductor
legs
connection
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
EP17718540.2A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP3446366A1 (en
Inventor
Ralf Geske
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Original Assignee
Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG filed Critical Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Publication of EP3446366A1 publication Critical patent/EP3446366A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP3446366B1 publication Critical patent/EP3446366B1/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R12/00—Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures
    • H01R12/50—Fixed connections
    • H01R12/51—Fixed connections for rigid printed circuits or like structures
    • H01R12/55—Fixed connections for rigid printed circuits or like structures characterised by the terminals
    • H01R12/58—Fixed connections for rigid printed circuits or like structures characterised by the terminals terminals for insertion into holes
    • H01R12/585—Terminals having a press fit or a compliant portion and a shank passing through a hole in the printed circuit board
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R12/00—Structural associations of a plurality of mutually-insulated electrical connecting elements, specially adapted for printed circuits, e.g. printed circuit boards [PCB], flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, e.g. terminal strips, terminal blocks; Coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures; Terminals specially adapted for contact with, or insertion into, printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures
    • H01R12/50—Fixed connections
    • H01R12/51—Fixed connections for rigid printed circuits or like structures
    • H01R12/515—Terminal blocks providing connections to wires or cables

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a plug contact for making electrical contact with a printed circuit board by inserting the plug contact into a contact hole of the printed circuit board, with two relatively resilient contact legs, a connection area and a connection area, the connection area connecting the two contact legs to one another and to the connection area, and the plug contact is formed from a metallic flat material.
  • the invention relates to an electrical connection terminal with a housing, with a conductor connection element and with a busbar piece, wherein a conductor to be connected can be connected to the busbar piece in an electrically conductive manner by means of the conductor connection element and wherein a conductor entry opening for inserting an electrical conductor to be connected is formed in the housing.
  • Plug contacts for making electrical connections between conductors, various electrical or electronic components and busbars are known in various embodiments and for various areas of application.
  • the plug contacts are plugged into corresponding receiving contacts or socket elements, the receiving contacts being, for example, openings in busbars.
  • the plug contacts themselves can be connected to electrical components or provided for connection to electrical conductors, for which purpose the connection area of the plug contacts is designed accordingly.
  • connection techniques There are different techniques for the connection between a printed circuit board and an electrical component or the connection of a conductor to a printed circuit board, with soldering and press-fitting in particular being established. Both techniques have proven themselves over the years, as they guarantee good and permanent electrical contact between the contact partners.
  • a disadvantage of both soldering and pressing is that both connection techniques are not reversible, so that once a connection has been made, it will not be possible - or only with increased effort. can be separated again.
  • additional work steps and / or special tools are required to produce the connection.
  • Plug connections which have been used in other areas of application for decades, offer an alternative here, since the connection can simply be made by hand and, moreover, can be disconnected again if necessary, i.e. it is reversible.
  • connection terminals have also been known in a large number of design variants for decades.
  • the connection terminals can, for example, be designed as a so-called print terminal for connecting an electrical conductor or several conductors to a circuit board, for which purpose the connection terminals have corresponding contact pins that are pressed or soldered into corresponding holes in the circuit board.
  • a tension sleeve for example, which is part of a screw connection and through which a conductor to be connected can be connected to the busbar section in an electrically conductive manner, can be provided as the conductor connection element.
  • the conductor connection element can also be designed as a crimp connection to which the stripped end of a conductor to be connected can be attached, the crimp connection then being formed at one end of the busbar section and the contact pin at the other end of the busbar section.
  • An insulation displacement connection in which an insulated end of a conductor is pressed into the cutting edge of the insulation displacement connection, is also possible as a conductor connection element.
  • clamping springs can also be used as conductor connection elements, both loop-shaped clamping springs, so-called tension spring terminals, and U-shaped or V-shaped clamping springs being used.
  • Rigid conductors or conductors provided with a wire end sleeve can be inserted directly into U-shaped or V-shaped clamping springs, ie without having to open the clamping point beforehand with a tool.
  • the conductor to be connected is pressed by the clamping leg of the clamping spring against the busbar piece, whereby the electrical connection between the conductor and the busbar piece is established.
  • the clamping point between the clamping leg and the busbar piece must be opened, including an actuation opening in the housing is designed to insert a tool, for example the tip of a screwdriver.
  • the actuation opening also serves to open the terminal point in order to be able to pull a connected conductor out of the terminal again.
  • a plug contact designed for use in printed circuit boards has been known for some time, which is designed in the manner of a spring fork and has two flat, relatively resilient contact legs which are connected to one another via a common connection area.
  • the plug contact is punched out of a metallic flat material and bent, with the narrowest possible area being punched out between the contact legs to produce the two contact legs.
  • the two outer edges of the contact legs each press against the inner wall of the contact hole into which the plug contact is inserted.
  • the connection area opposite the contact legs is designed as a crimp connection, so that in each case a conductor can be connected to a plug contact.
  • a connection terminal with several plug contacts described above is from the DE 10 2011 011 017 A1 known.
  • the individual plug contacts are arranged in several rows next to one another in chambers of the connection housing in such a way that the plug contacts extend perpendicular to the plane of the printed circuit board.
  • the connection areas of the individual plug contacts are designed as crimp connections. As a result, several conductors can be connected to a circuit board in which the individual contact holes are at a small distance from one another.
  • a fork-shaped plug contact for contacting a circuit board is also from the DE 202 18 295 U1 known.
  • the punched edges of the contact legs press against the inner wall of the contact hole, the two contact legs each having two outer edges that dig into the metallization of the bore wall when the plug contact is pressed into the contact hole of the circuit board.
  • Cold welds should preferably occur between the metallization of the bore wall and the contact legs in order to ensure good electrical contact.
  • the disadvantage here is that the sharp edges the contact leg can damage the inner wall of the contact hole during the plugging process, so that a coating applied in the contact hole, for example made of tin, is rubbed off after a few plugging cycles.
  • the pamphlet DE 10 2008 036 090 A1 relates to a plug contact element, the contact legs being connected to one another.
  • this document discloses dimensioning the radii of the contact elements in such a way that the stress on the tin-containing coating in the contacting area does not exceed a critical threshold value.
  • the present invention is based on the object of providing a plug contact described at the outset which enables reliable and good contacting of the contact hole even with several plugging cycles, so that the plug connector ensures good electrical contact between the contact partners.
  • an electrical connection terminal is to be specified with which an electrical conductor can be connected to a printed circuit board in a simple manner.
  • the two contact legs each have a contacting area that contacts the contact hole when plugged in, the outer contour of the two contact legs in the contacting area being formed in cross section in the shape of a segment of a circle.
  • the outer contour of the contact legs is thus machined, in particular in the area in which the contact legs contact the contact hole when plugged in, so that it does not have any sharp edges that dig into the metallization of the bore wall when the plug contact is inserted into the contact hole. This makes it possible to insert and remove the plug contact several times without damaging the inner wall of the contact hole in the circuit board.
  • the outer contour of the contact leg which is circular segment-shaped in cross section, has a radius that is smaller than the radius of the contact hole.
  • the outer contour of the two contact legs in the contacting area is configured not only in cross section but in the longitudinal direction as a segment of a circle, so that the contacting areas of the two contact legs are convex.
  • the two contact legs thus have a rounded outer contour in the contacting area, both in the insertion direction of the contact legs and perpendicular to the insertion direction, so that there is only essentially point-like contact between the contact legs and the contact hole in the contacting area.
  • the spherical shape of the contacting areas can easily be produced with the aid of a die into which the contacting areas of the contact legs are pressed after punching out the plug contact from a metallic flat material or which is pressed against the contact legs.
  • Such an embossing or reshaping of the outer contour of the contact legs generated by the punching has the additional advantage that the roughness of the outer edges of the contact legs generated during punching is smoothed, which further reduces the risk of damage to a coating applied to the inner wall of a contact hole .
  • the desired convexity of the outer contour of the contact legs can be produced in a simple manner by embossing, whereby the radii of the outer contour of the contacting areas can be specified by the shape of the die that is pressed against the outside of the contact legs.
  • the radius of the outer contour in the form of a segment of a circle is preferably greater in the longitudinal direction than the radius of the outer contour in the form of a segment of a circle in cross section.
  • the two contact legs have different lengths, ie there is a first, longer contact leg and a second, shorter contact leg.
  • a guide section is formed which is arranged in the insertion direction of the plug contact in front of the free end of the shorter contact leg.
  • the guide section serves as an insertion and centering aid when inserting the plug contact into the corresponding contact hole in a circuit board.
  • the guide section preferably has a wedge-shaped or semicircular outer contour on its side facing away from the connection area and thus facing the contact hole during insertion.
  • the guide section of the first, longer contact leg first slides into the contact hole before the second, shorter contact leg also dips into the contact hole, the two contact legs then being pressed towards one another through the contact wall of the contact hole during further insertion so that the distance between the two contact legs - compared to the unplugged state - is reduced.
  • the two contact legs extend in one plane, the main direction of extent of the plug contact running parallel to the insertion direction.
  • the two contact legs are angled, the two contact legs each having a first area and a second area which are arranged at an angle ⁇ to one another.
  • the angle ⁇ between the two areas of the contact legs is preferably approximately 90 °, so that the contact legs are bent approximately in an L-shape.
  • the first area of the two contact legs adjoins the connection area, while the contacting areas are formed on the second areas and the ends of the second areas form the free ends of the contact legs, with which the contact legs are inserted into the corresponding contact hole in the circuit board.
  • a plug contact with angled contact legs has the advantage that the working area of the plug contact effective when the contact legs are inserted into the contact hole, ie the area that generates the restoring force of the plug contact, is essentially in the first area of the contact legs.
  • the contact legs are primarily subjected to torsion and not bending in this area, which means that the plug contact is more elastic compared to a plug contact with straight, non-angled contact legs. The plug contact can thus be more easily inserted into a contact hole or pulled out of the contact hole again.
  • connection area of the plug contact is designed as a crimp connection, by means of which the stripped end of a conductor to be connected can be electrically connected.
  • connection area can also be designed as an insulation displacement connection, so that the connection area has two opposing cutting edges, between which the insulated end of a conductor to be connected is pressed so that the cutting edges penetrate the insulation of the conductor and contact the metallic conductor.
  • connection area is designed as a flat current bar which, together with a tension sleeve, forms a screw connection or, together with a clamping spring, forms a spring-loaded terminal connection.
  • a plurality of grooves or notches are preferably formed on the side of the current bar facing the conductor, whereby the contact resistance between the conductor and the current bar is reduced.
  • the electrical connection terminal has a plug contact according to the invention, which is arranged at least partially in the housing of the connection terminal in such a way that the busbar piece is formed by the connection area of the plug contact, and the contact legs of the plug contact protrude with their contacting areas from the underside of the housing.
  • the underside of the housing is the side that faces the circuit board when the connection terminal is placed on the circuit board.
  • a clamping spring is provided as the conductor connection element, which has a clamping leg and a contact leg, the clamping leg together with the connection area of the plug contact forming a spring-loaded connection for the conductor to be connected.
  • the use of a clamping spring as a conductor connection element has the additional advantage that a conductor to be connected can be very easily connected to the connection terminal and thus also to a circuit board via the spring-cage terminal connection.
  • the electrical conductor can also be pulled out of the connection terminal again when the spring-loaded terminal connection is opened.
  • the electrical connection between the conductor and the circuit board can thus be released both between the conductor and the connection area of the plug contact and between the contact legs of the plug contact and the circuit board.
  • the electrical connection terminal can also be designed, for example, as a screw terminal, so that a tension sleeve is arranged in the housing which, together with the connection area of the plug contact, which is designed as a flat current bar, forms a screw connection for the conductor to be connected.
  • the tension sleeve is actuated with the aid of a screw that is accessible via an actuation opening in the housing of the connection terminal.
  • the conductor connection element can also be designed as a crimp connection to which the stripped end of a conductor to be connected can be attached.
  • connection area extends in the longitudinal direction of the contact legs, then the conductor entry opening is open arranged on the top of the housing and an electrical conductor to be connected is inserted into the connection terminal perpendicular to the plane of the circuit board.
  • connection area of the plug contact is bent perpendicularly - or at an angle not equal to 90 ° - to the longitudinal direction of the contact legs, so that the conductor entry opening is then arranged accordingly on one end of the housing.
  • a further advantageous embodiment provides that several adjustment elements are formed on the underside of the housing, which are inserted into corresponding recesses in the circuit board when the connection terminal is placed on the circuit board.
  • the ends of the adjusting elements are preferably conical, which makes it easier to insert the adjusting elements into the corresponding recesses in the circuit board.
  • the length of the adjustment elements is chosen so that when the connection terminal is placed on the circuit board, the free ends of the adjustment elements first engage in the corresponding recesses in the circuit board before the contact areas of the contact legs of the plug contact dip into the corresponding contact holes in the circuit board.
  • At least two latching elements are formed on the underside of the housing, which engage in corresponding recesses in the circuit board.
  • Appropriate latching projections or latching lugs on the latching elements can ensure that the electrical connection terminal is securely attached to a printed circuit board after it has been placed on the latter.
  • the latching elements are preferably designed in such a way that they can be transferred from a first, non-latching state to a second, latching state and vice versa. This makes it possible to release the latching between the housing of the electrical connection terminal and the circuit board again, so that the electrical connection terminal can also be lifted off the circuit board again if necessary.
  • the Fig. 1 and 2 show a plug contact 1 for contacting a circuit board 2, for which purpose the plug contact 1 is inserted into a corresponding contact hole 3 in the circuit board 2.
  • the plug contact 1 punched out of a metallic flat material and bent over has two contact legs 4, 5 which are resilient relative to one another, a connection area 6 and a connection area 7, the two contact legs 4, 5 being connected to one another and to the connection area 6 via the connection area 7.
  • the contact legs 4, 5 each have one in the inserted state according to Fig. 2 the contacting area 4a, 5a contacting the contact hole 3, the outer contour 8 of the two contact legs 4, 5 in the contacting area 4a, 5a each having a circular segment-shaped cross-section, as shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of a contact leg 4 inserted into a contact hole 3 according to FIG Fig. 3 can be seen. It can also be seen here that the radius of the outer contour 8 of the contact leg 4 is slightly smaller than the radius of the contact hole 3, so that damage to the inner wall 9 of the contact hole 3 when the contact legs 4, 5 are inserted into the contact hole 3 is prevented.
  • a plug contact 1 designed in this way enables significantly more plug-in and pull-out cycles than a plug contact in which the outer contour of the contact legs is straight in cross section.
  • a plug contact in which the outer contour of the contact legs is straight in cross section.
  • grooves can appear in the inner wall 9 of the contact hole 3, so that the surface of the inner wall 9 of the contact hole 3, especially if it has a coating, is damaged.
  • the outer contour 8 of the two contact legs 4, 5 in the contacting area 4a, 5a is also configured in the form of a segment of a circle in the longitudinal direction, so that the contacting areas 4a, 5a are convex.
  • the contacting areas 4a, 5a therefore only contact the inner wall 9 of the contact hole 3 with their central area, so that ideally there is only point-like contact between the contact legs 4, 5 and the contact hole 3. In practice, this theoretically point-like contact increases due to the surface pressure between the contact legs 4, 5 and the inner wall 9 of the contact hole 3 to a small, essentially circular area.
  • the contacting areas 4a, 5a have no sharp edges that come into contact with the inner wall 9 of the contact hole 3 due to their convex design, damage to the inner wall 9 of the contact hole 3 when the plug contact 1 is plugged in and pulled out is avoided. As a result, there is no coating applied to the inner wall 9, for example Tin still retained even after several plugging and pulling cycles of the plug contact 1 according to the invention.
  • the two contact legs 4, 5 have different lengths, with a guide section 10 being arranged at the free end 4b of the longer contact leg 4 which extends in the insertion direction E of the plug contact 1 in front of the free end 5b of the shorter, second contact leg 5 is located.
  • the guide section 10 serves as an insertion and centering aid when inserting the plug contact 1 into the corresponding contact hole 3 of the printed circuit board 2.
  • the guide section 10 has a wedge-shaped outer contour on its side facing away from the connection area 6 and facing the contact hole 3 during insertion that dips into the contact hole 2 when the plug contact 1 is inserted.
  • the two contact legs 4, 5 each have a first area 4c, 5c and a second area 4b, 5b which are arranged at an angle ⁇ to one another.
  • the angle ⁇ is approximately 90 °, so that the two contact legs 4, 5 are bent approximately in an L-shape.
  • the contacting areas 4a, 5a are formed on the second areas 4d, 5d, the width of the plug contact 1 being greatest in the area of the contacting areas 4a, 5a, so that when the plug contact 1 is plugged in, the two contact legs 4, 5 are maximally towards one another are bent, so that the normal contact force between the contact legs 4, 5 and the contact hole 3 is also at a maximum.
  • the plug contact 1 shown differs from the two in Fig. 4 illustrated embodiment variants of the plug contact 1 by a different configuration of the connection area 6. While in the Fig. 1 and 2 illustrated embodiment of the connection area 6 as a flatter Is formed current bar 6 ', the connection area 6 is in the embodiment according to Figure 4a as a crimp connection 6 ′′ and in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG Figure 4b In order to increase the surface pressure between a connected conductor and the current bar 6 ', this has several grooves 11 on the side facing the conductor Way to be electrically connected to the plug contact 1.
  • Fig. 5 each shows a variant of the two in Fig. 4 shown plug contacts 1, in which the two contact legs 4, 5 of the plug contact 1 are not angled, but extend in one plane.
  • the connection area 6 - corresponding to the plug contact 1 according to Figure 4a - Designed as a crimp connection 6 ′′
  • the plug contact 1 according to FIG Figure 5b the connection area 6 is designed as an insulation displacement connection 6 '".
  • the possible configuration of the connection area 6 is therefore independent of whether the contact legs 4, 5 are angled or extend in one plane.
  • Fig. 6 shows a preferred embodiment of an electrical connection terminal 12 according to the invention, which has a housing 13 that is usually made of plastic.
  • a plurality of conductor entry openings 14 and a corresponding number of plug contacts 1 are arranged in the housing 13, the contact legs 4, 5 of the individual plug contacts 1 protruding with their contacting areas 4a, 5a from the underside 15 of the housing 13 facing a printed circuit board 2.
  • a number of clamping springs 16 corresponding to the number of plug contacts 1 are also arranged as conductor connection elements in the housing 13 of the connection terminal 12, each of which has a clamping leg 17 and a contact leg 18.
  • Each clamping spring 16 is assigned to a plug contact 1 in such a way that the connection area 6 of a plug contact 1, which is designed as a flat current bar 6 ', together with the free end of the clamping leg 17 of the clamping spring 16 forms a spring-loaded terminal connection for an electrical conductor inserted into the housing 13 through a conductor entry opening 14 forms. Since the connecting terminal 12 is provided for connecting five conductors, five conductor insertion openings 14 are accordingly also formed in the housing 13.
  • actuating levers 19 are also arranged in the housing 13 so as to be displaceable. If an actuating pusher 19 is pressed into the interior of the housing 13, the actuating pusher 19 deflects the clamping leg 17 of the clamping spring 16 against its spring force, so that the clamping point can be opened and a connected conductor can be pulled out of the clamping point. If the terminal point is opened with the aid of the actuating lever 19, a flexible conductor can also be inserted into the terminal point.
  • connection terminal 12 can also have a tension sleeve 20 as a conductor connection element, which together with the connection area 6 of a plug contact 1 forms a screw connection for an electrical conductor to be connected.
  • connection types - spring-cage terminal connection and screw connection - are included in the Fig. 7 and 8th shown, with only one plug contact 1 together with a clamping spring 16 ( Figure 7a and 8a ) or with a pulling sleeve 20 ( Figure 7b and 8b ) are shown, that is, without the housing receiving the plug contact 1 and the respective conductor connection element.
  • Fig. 7 shows two plug contacts 1 according to FIG Fig.
  • the two contact legs 4, 5 are each bent in an L-shape.
  • the plug contacts 4, 5 are not bent, but extend continuously in one plane, namely in the insertion direction E.
  • the screw connection shown also has a screw 21 with which the screw connection can be actuated so that the stripped end of a conductor inserted into the tension sleeve 20 is pulled against the current bar 6 'by means of the tension sleeve 20.
  • a plurality of offset adjustment elements 22 are formed on the underside 15 of the housing 13, each of which protrudes beyond the underside 15 of the housing 13 and into corresponding recesses can be plugged into a circuit board 2.
  • suitable latching elements can also be formed on the housing 13, with which the housing 13 can be latched on a printed circuit board.

Landscapes

  • Coupling Device And Connection With Printed Circuit (AREA)
  • Connections By Means Of Piercing Elements, Nuts, Or Screws (AREA)

Description

Die Erfindung betrifft einen Steckkontakt zur elektrischen Kontaktierung einer Leiterplatte mittels Einsteckens des Steckkontakts in ein Kontaktloch der Leiterplatte, mit zwei relativ zueinander federnden Kontaktschenkeln, einem Anschlussbereich und einem Verbindungsbereich, wobei der Verbindungsbereich die beiden Kontaktschenkel miteinander und mit dem Anschlussbereich verbindet, und wobei der Steckkontakt aus einem metallischen Flachmaterial ausgebildet ist.The invention relates to a plug contact for making electrical contact with a printed circuit board by inserting the plug contact into a contact hole of the printed circuit board, with two relatively resilient contact legs, a connection area and a connection area, the connection area connecting the two contact legs to one another and to the connection area, and the plug contact is formed from a metallic flat material.

Daneben betrifft die Erfindung noch eine elektrische Anschlussklemme mit einem Gehäuse, mit einem Leiteranschlusselement und mit einem Stromschienenstück, wobei ein anzuschließender Leiter mittels des Leiteranschlusselements mit dem Stromschienenstück elektrisch leitend verbindbar ist und wobei im Gehäuse eine Leitereinführungsöffnung zum Einführen eines anzuschließenden elektrischen Leiters ausgebildet ist.In addition, the invention relates to an electrical connection terminal with a housing, with a conductor connection element and with a busbar piece, wherein a conductor to be connected can be connected to the busbar piece in an electrically conductive manner by means of the conductor connection element and wherein a conductor entry opening for inserting an electrical conductor to be connected is formed in the housing.

Steckkontakte zur Herstellung von elektrischen Verbindungen zwischen Leitern, verschiedenen elektrischen oder elektronischen Bauteilen und Stromschienen sind in verschiedenen Ausführungsformen und für verschiedene Einsatzbereiche bekannt. Die Steckkontakte werden dazu in korrespondierende Aufnahmekontakte oder Buchsenelemente eingesteckt, wobei es sich bei den Aufnahmekontakten beispielsweise um Öffnungen in Stromschienen handeln kann. Die Steckkontakte selber können mit elektrischen Bauteilen verbunden oder zur Verbindung mit elektrischen Leitern vorgesehen sein, wozu dann der Anschlussbereich der Steckkontakte entsprechend ausgebildet ist.Plug contacts for making electrical connections between conductors, various electrical or electronic components and busbars are known in various embodiments and for various areas of application. For this purpose, the plug contacts are plugged into corresponding receiving contacts or socket elements, the receiving contacts being, for example, openings in busbars. The plug contacts themselves can be connected to electrical components or provided for connection to electrical conductors, for which purpose the connection area of the plug contacts is designed accordingly.

Für die Verbindung zwischen einer Leiterplatte und einem elektrischen Bauteil oder dem Anschluss eines Leiters an eine Leiterplatte gibt es unterschiedliche Techniken, wobei sich in der Praxis vor allem das Löten und das Einpressen etabliert haben. Beide Techniken haben sich über Jahre bewährt, da sie einen guten und dauerhaften elektrischen Kontakt zwischen den Kontaktpartnern gewährleisten. Ein Nachteil sowohl des Lötens als auch des Einpressens besteht darin, dass beide Verbindungstechniken nicht reversibel sind, so dass eine einmal hergestellte Verbindung nicht - oder nur mit erhöhtem Aufwand - wieder getrennt werden kann. Darüber hinaus sind zur Herstellung der Verbindung zusätzliche Arbeitsschritte und/oder spezielle Werkzeuge erforderlich. Hier bieten Steckverbindungen, die in anderen Anwendungsbereichen seit Jahrzehnten verwendet werden, eine Alternative, da die Verbindung einfach von Hand hergestellt und darüber hinaus auch wieder bei Bedarf getrennt werden kann, also reversibel ist.There are different techniques for the connection between a printed circuit board and an electrical component or the connection of a conductor to a printed circuit board, with soldering and press-fitting in particular being established. Both techniques have proven themselves over the years, as they guarantee good and permanent electrical contact between the contact partners. A disadvantage of both soldering and pressing is that both connection techniques are not reversible, so that once a connection has been made, it will not be possible - or only with increased effort. can be separated again. In addition, additional work steps and / or special tools are required to produce the connection. Plug connections, which have been used in other areas of application for decades, offer an alternative here, since the connection can simply be made by hand and, moreover, can be disconnected again if necessary, i.e. it is reversible.

Auch elektrische Anschlussklemmen sind in einer Vielzahl von Ausführungsvarianten seit Jahrzehnten bekannt. Die Anschlussklemmen können beispielsweise zum Anschluss eines elektrischen Leiters oder mehrere Leiter an eine Leiterplatte als sogenannte Printklemme ausgebildet sein, wozu die Anschlussklemmen entsprechende Kontaktpins aufweisen, die in entsprechende Löcher in der Leiterplatte eingepresst oder eingelötet werden. Als Leiteranschlusselement kann beispielsweise eine Zughülse vorgesehen sein, die Teil eines Schraubanschlusses ist und durch die ein anzuschließender Leiter mit dem Stromschienenstück elektrisch leitend verbunden werden kann. Ebenso kann das Leiteranschlusselement auch als Crimpanschluss ausgebildet sein, an dem das abisolierte Ende eines anzuschließenden Leiters befestigt werden kann, wobei der Crimpanschluss dann an einem Ende des Stromschienenstücks und der Kontaktpin an den anderen Ende des Stromschienenstücks ausgebildet ist. Auch ein Schneidanschluss, bei dem ein isoliertes Ende eines Leiters in die Schneiden des Schneidanschlusses eingedrückt wird, ist als Leiteranschlusselement möglich.Electrical connection terminals have also been known in a large number of design variants for decades. The connection terminals can, for example, be designed as a so-called print terminal for connecting an electrical conductor or several conductors to a circuit board, for which purpose the connection terminals have corresponding contact pins that are pressed or soldered into corresponding holes in the circuit board. A tension sleeve, for example, which is part of a screw connection and through which a conductor to be connected can be connected to the busbar section in an electrically conductive manner, can be provided as the conductor connection element. Likewise, the conductor connection element can also be designed as a crimp connection to which the stripped end of a conductor to be connected can be attached, the crimp connection then being formed at one end of the busbar section and the contact pin at the other end of the busbar section. An insulation displacement connection, in which an insulated end of a conductor is pressed into the cutting edge of the insulation displacement connection, is also possible as a conductor connection element.

Als Leiteranschlusselemente können darüber hinaus auch Klemmfedern verwendet werden, wobei sowohl schlaufenförmige Klemmfedern, sogenannte Zugfederklemmen, als auch U-förmige oder V-förmige Klemmfedern eingesetzt werden. In U-förmige oder V-förmige Klemmfedern können starre Leiter oder mit einer Aderendhülse versehene Leiter direkt, d. h. ohne das die Klemmstelle vorher mit einem Werkzeug geöffnet werden muss, eingesteckt werden. Bei den bekannten U-förmigen oder V-förmigen Klemmfedern wird der anzuschließende Leiter vom Klemmschenkel der Klemmfeder gegen das Stromschienenstück gedrückt, wodurch die elektrische Verbindung zwischen dem Leiter und dem Stromschienenstück hergestellt wird. Zum Anschließen von flexiblen Leitern muss die Klemmstelle zwischen dem Klemmschenkel und dem Stromschienenstück geöffnet werden, wozu im Gehäuse eine Betätigungsöffnung zum Einführen eines Werkzeugs, beispielsweise der Spitze eines Schraubendrehers, ausgebildet ist. Die Betätigungsöffnung dient auch dazu, die Klemmstelle zu öffnen, um einen angeschlossenen Leiter wieder aus der Klemme herausziehen zu können.In addition, clamping springs can also be used as conductor connection elements, both loop-shaped clamping springs, so-called tension spring terminals, and U-shaped or V-shaped clamping springs being used. Rigid conductors or conductors provided with a wire end sleeve can be inserted directly into U-shaped or V-shaped clamping springs, ie without having to open the clamping point beforehand with a tool. In the known U-shaped or V-shaped clamping springs, the conductor to be connected is pressed by the clamping leg of the clamping spring against the busbar piece, whereby the electrical connection between the conductor and the busbar piece is established. To connect flexible conductors, the clamping point between the clamping leg and the busbar piece must be opened, including an actuation opening in the housing is designed to insert a tool, for example the tip of a screwdriver. The actuation opening also serves to open the terminal point in order to be able to pull a connected conductor out of the terminal again.

Aus der Praxis ist seit einiger Zeit ein zur Anwendung bei Leiterplatten ausgebildeter Steckkontakt bekannt, der nach Art einer Federgabel ausgebildet ist und zwei flache, relativ zueinander federnde Kontaktschenkel aufweist, die über einen gemeinsamen Verbindungsbereich miteinander verbunden sind. Der Steckkontakt wird aus einem metallischen Flachmaterial ausgestanzt und abgebogen, wobei zur Herstellung der beiden Kontaktschenkel ein möglichst schmaler Bereich zwischen den Kontaktschenkeln herausgestanzt wird. Im eingesteckten Zustand drücken die Kontaktschenkel jeweils mit ihren beiden äußeren Kanten gegen die Innenwandung des Kontaktlochs, in das der Stecckontakt eingesteckt ist. Der den Kontaktschenkeln gegenüberliegende Anschlussbereich ist als Crimpanschluss ausgebildet, so dass jeweils ein Leiter an einen Steckkontakt angeschlossen werden kann.From practice, a plug contact designed for use in printed circuit boards has been known for some time, which is designed in the manner of a spring fork and has two flat, relatively resilient contact legs which are connected to one another via a common connection area. The plug contact is punched out of a metallic flat material and bent, with the narrowest possible area being punched out between the contact legs to produce the two contact legs. In the inserted state, the two outer edges of the contact legs each press against the inner wall of the contact hole into which the plug contact is inserted. The connection area opposite the contact legs is designed as a crimp connection, so that in each case a conductor can be connected to a plug contact.

Eine Anschlussklemme mit mehreren zuvor beschriebenen Steckkontakten ist aus der DE 10 2011 011 017 A1 bekannt. Die einzelnen Steckkontakte sind dabei in mehreren Reihen nebeneinander in Kammern des Anschlussgehäuses so angeordnet, dass sich die Steckkontakte senkrecht zur Ebene der Leiterplatte erstrecken. Zum Anschluss einzelner Leiter sind bei den einzelnen Stecckontakten die Anschlussbereiche als Crimpanschluss ausgebildet. Dadurch können mehrere Leiter mit einer Leiterplatte verbunden werden, bei der die einzelnen Kontaktlöcher einen geringen Abstand zueinander aufweisen.A connection terminal with several plug contacts described above is from the DE 10 2011 011 017 A1 known. The individual plug contacts are arranged in several rows next to one another in chambers of the connection housing in such a way that the plug contacts extend perpendicular to the plane of the printed circuit board. For the connection of individual conductors, the connection areas of the individual plug contacts are designed as crimp connections. As a result, several conductors can be connected to a circuit board in which the individual contact holes are at a small distance from one another.

Ein gabelförmiger Steckkontakt zur Kontaktierung einer Leiterplatte ist auch aus der DE 202 18 295 U1 bekannt. Auch bei diesem Steckkontakt drücken die Kontaktsschenkel mit ihren Stanzkanten gegen die Innenwandung des Kontaktlochs, wobei die beiden Kontaktschenkel jeweils zwei Außenkanten aufweisen, die sich beim Einpressen des Steckkontakts in das Kontaktloch der Leiterplatte in die Metallisierung der Bohrungswand eingraben. Vorzugsweise sollen dabei Kaltverschweißungen zwischen der Metallisierung der Bohrungswand und den Kontaktschenkel auftreten, um einen guten elektrischen Kontakt zu gewährleisten. Nachteilig ist hierbei jedoch, dass die scharfen Kanten der Kontaktschenkel die Innenwandung des Kontaktloches beim Steckvorgang beschädigen können, so dass eine im Kontaktloch aufgebrachte Beschichtung beispielsweise aus Zinn, nach wenigen Steckzyklen aufgerieben wird.A fork-shaped plug contact for contacting a circuit board is also from the DE 202 18 295 U1 known. With this plug contact, too, the punched edges of the contact legs press against the inner wall of the contact hole, the two contact legs each having two outer edges that dig into the metallization of the bore wall when the plug contact is pressed into the contact hole of the circuit board. Cold welds should preferably occur between the metallization of the bore wall and the contact legs in order to ensure good electrical contact. The disadvantage here, however, is that the sharp edges the contact leg can damage the inner wall of the contact hole during the plugging process, so that a coating applied in the contact hole, for example made of tin, is rubbed off after a few plugging cycles.

Weitere Steckkontaktelemente sind aus der EP 3375048 A1 , US 9,276,338 B1 und DE 689 21 987 T2 bekannt.Further plug contact elements are from the EP 3375048 A1 , US 9,276,338 B1 and DE 689 21 987 T2 known.

Die Druckschrift DE 10 2008 036 090 A1 betrifft ein Steckkontaktelement, wobei die Kontaktschenkel miteinander verbunden sind. Zudem offenbart diese Druckschrift, die Radien der Kontaktelemente derart zu dimensionieren, dass die Spannungsbelastung der zinnhaltigen Beschichtung im Kontaktierungsbereich einen kritischen Schwellwert nicht überschreitet.The pamphlet DE 10 2008 036 090 A1 relates to a plug contact element, the contact legs being connected to one another. In addition, this document discloses dimensioning the radii of the contact elements in such a way that the stress on the tin-containing coating in the contacting area does not exceed a critical threshold value.

Der vorliegenden Erfindung liegt die Aufgabe zugrunde, einen eingangs beschriebenen Steckkontakt zur Verfügung zu stellen, der auch bei mehreren Steckzyklen eine sichere und gute Kontaktierung des Kontaktlochs ermöglicht, so dass der Steckverbinder einen guten elektrischen Kontakt zwischen den Kontaktpartnern gewährleistet. Darüber hinaus soll eine elektrische Anschlussklemme angegeben werden, mit der ein elektrischer Leiter auf einfache Art und Weise mit einer Leiterplatte verbunden werden kann.The present invention is based on the object of providing a plug contact described at the outset which enables reliable and good contacting of the contact hole even with several plugging cycles, so that the plug connector ensures good electrical contact between the contact partners. In addition, an electrical connection terminal is to be specified with which an electrical conductor can be connected to a printed circuit board in a simple manner.

Diese Aufgabe ist bei dem eingangs beschriebenen Steckkontakt mit den Merkmalen des Patentanspruchs 1 dadurch gelöst, dass die beiden Kontaktschenkel jeweils einen im eingesteckten Zustand das Kontaktloch kontaktierenden Kontaktierungsbereich aufweisen, wobei die Außenkontur der beiden Kontaktschenkel im Kontaktierungsbereich jeweils im Querschnitt kreissegmentförmig ausgebildet ist. Die Außenkontur der Kontaktschenkel ist somit insbesondere in dem Bereich, in dem die Kontaktschenkel im eingesteckten Zustand das Kontaktloch kontaktieren, so bearbeitet, dass sie keine scharfen Kanten aufweist, die sich beim Einstecken des Steckkontakts in das Kontaktloch in die Metallisierung der Bohrungswand eingraben. Hierdurch ist es möglich, den Steckkontakt mehrfach zu stecken und zu ziehen, ohne dass es zu Beschädigungen an der Innenwand des Kontaktloches in der Leiterplatte kommt.This object is achieved in the plug contact described at the outset with the features of claim 1 in that the two contact legs each have a contacting area that contacts the contact hole when plugged in, the outer contour of the two contact legs in the contacting area being formed in cross section in the shape of a segment of a circle. The outer contour of the contact legs is thus machined, in particular in the area in which the contact legs contact the contact hole when plugged in, so that it does not have any sharp edges that dig into the metallization of the bore wall when the plug contact is inserted into the contact hole. This makes it possible to insert and remove the plug contact several times without damaging the inner wall of the contact hole in the circuit board.

Die im Querschnitt kreissegmentförmige Außenkontur der Kontaktschenkel weist dabei einen Radius auf, der kleiner als der Radius des Kontaktloches ist.The outer contour of the contact leg, which is circular segment-shaped in cross section, has a radius that is smaller than the radius of the contact hole.

Dies führt vorteilhafterweise dazu, dass zwischen den Kontaktschenkeln und dem Kontaktloch jeweils nur eine linienförmige Berührung besteht, an Stelle von zwei linienförmigen Berührungen wie bei den aus dem Stand der Technik bekannten Steckkontakten, bei denen die beiden Kontaktschenkel das Kontaktloch jeweils mit ihren beiden Außenkanten kontaktieren.This advantageously means that there is only one line-shaped contact between the contact legs and the contact hole, instead of two line-shaped contacts as in the plug contacts known from the prior art, in which the two contact legs each contact the contact hole with their two outer edges.

Erfindungsgemäß ist die Außenkontur der beiden Kontaktschenkel im Kontaktierungsbereich nicht nur im Querschnitt sondern in Längsrichtung kreissegmentförmig ausgebildet, so dass die Kontaktierungsbereiche der beiden Kontaktschenkel ballig ausgebildet sind. Die beiden Kontaktschenkel weisen im Kontaktierungsbereich somit sowohl in Einsteckrichtung der Kontaktschenkel als auch senkrecht zur Einsteckrichtung eine gerundete Außenkontur auf, so dass zwischen den Kontaktschenkeln und dem Kontaktloch im Kontaktierungsbereich jeweils nur eine im Wesentlichen punktförmige Berührung besteht.According to the invention, the outer contour of the two contact legs in the contacting area is configured not only in cross section but in the longitudinal direction as a segment of a circle, so that the contacting areas of the two contact legs are convex. The two contact legs thus have a rounded outer contour in the contacting area, both in the insertion direction of the contact legs and perpendicular to the insertion direction, so that there is only essentially point-like contact between the contact legs and the contact hole in the contacting area.

Die ballige Form der Kontaktierungsbereiche kann dabei einfach mit Hilfe eines Gesenks erzeugt werden, in das die Kontaktierungsbereiche der Kontaktschenkel nach dem Ausstanzen des Steckkontakts aus einem metallischen Flachmaterial eingedrückt werden bzw. das gegen die Kontaktschenkel gedrückt wird. Ein derartiges Prägen bzw. Umformen der durch das Ausstanzen erzeugten Außenkontur der Kontaktschenkel hat darüber hinaus den Vorteil, dass dabei die beim Stanzen erzeugte Rauhigkeit der Außenkanten der Kontaktschenkel geglättet wird, wodurch die Gefahr der Beschädigung einer an der Innenwandung eines Kontaktlochs aufgebrachten Beschichtung weiter reduziert wird. Schließlich kann durch das Anprägen die gewünschte Balligkeit der Außenkontur der Kontaktschenkel auf einfache Art und Weise hergestellt werden, wobei durch die Form des Gesenks, das gegen die Außenseite der Kontaktschenkel gedrückt wird, die Radien der Außenkontur der Kontaktierungsbereiche vorgegeben werden kann. Vorzugsweise ist dabei der Radius der kreissegmentförmigen Außenkontur in Längsrichtung größer als der Radius der kreissegmentförmigen Außenkontur im Querschnitt.The spherical shape of the contacting areas can easily be produced with the aid of a die into which the contacting areas of the contact legs are pressed after punching out the plug contact from a metallic flat material or which is pressed against the contact legs. Such an embossing or reshaping of the outer contour of the contact legs generated by the punching has the additional advantage that the roughness of the outer edges of the contact legs generated during punching is smoothed, which further reduces the risk of damage to a coating applied to the inner wall of a contact hole . Finally, the desired convexity of the outer contour of the contact legs can be produced in a simple manner by embossing, whereby the radii of the outer contour of the contacting areas can be specified by the shape of the die that is pressed against the outside of the contact legs. In this case, the radius of the outer contour in the form of a segment of a circle is preferably greater in the longitudinal direction than the radius of the outer contour in the form of a segment of a circle in cross section.

Erfindungsgemäß weisen die beiden Kontaktschenkel unterschiedliche Längen auf, d. h. es gibt einen ersten, längeren Kontaktschenkel und einen zweiten, kürzeren Kontaktschenkel. Am freien Ende des längeren Kontaktschenkels ist ein Führungsabschnitt ausgebildet, der in Einsteckrichtung des Steckkontakts vor dem freien Ende des kürzeren Kontaktschenkels angeordnet ist. Der Führungsabschnitt dient dabei als Einführ- und Zentrierhilfe beim Einstecken des Steckkontakts in das korrespondierende Kontaktloch in einer Leiterplatte. Hierzu weist der Führungsabschnitt auf seiner dem Verbindungsbereich abgewandten und damit beim Einstecken dem Kontaktloch zugewandten Seite vorzugsweise eine keilförmige oder halbkreisförmige Außenkontur auf. Beim Einstecken des Steckkontakts in das Kontaktloch gleitet somit zunächst der Führungsabschnitt des ersten, längeren Kontaktschenkels in das Kontaktloch, bevor auch der zweite, kürzere Kontaktschenkel in das Kontaktloch eintaucht, wobei die beiden Kontaktschenkel dann beim weiteren Einstecken durch die Kontaktwand des Kontaktloches aufeinander zu gedrückt werden, so dass sich der Abstand zwischen den beiden Kontaktschenkeln - im Vergleich zum nicht eingesteckten Zustand - verringert.According to the invention, the two contact legs have different lengths, ie there is a first, longer contact leg and a second, shorter contact leg. At the free end of the longer contact leg is a guide section is formed which is arranged in the insertion direction of the plug contact in front of the free end of the shorter contact leg. The guide section serves as an insertion and centering aid when inserting the plug contact into the corresponding contact hole in a circuit board. For this purpose, the guide section preferably has a wedge-shaped or semicircular outer contour on its side facing away from the connection area and thus facing the contact hole during insertion. When the plug contact is inserted into the contact hole, the guide section of the first, longer contact leg first slides into the contact hole before the second, shorter contact leg also dips into the contact hole, the two contact legs then being pressed towards one another through the contact wall of the contact hole during further insertion so that the distance between the two contact legs - compared to the unplugged state - is reduced.

Bei einer ersten Ausführungsvariante des erfindungsgemäßen Steckkontakts erstrecken sich die beiden Kontaktschenkel in einer Ebene, wobei die Haupterstreckungsrichtung des Steckkontakts parallel zur Einsteckrichtung verläuft. Gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsvariante des Steckkontakts sind die beiden Kontaktschenkel abgewinkelt, wobei die beiden Kontaktschenkel jeweils einen ersten Bereich und einen zweiten Bereich aufweisen, die unter einem Winkel α zueinander angeordnet sind. Vorzugsweise beträgt der Winkel α zwischen den beiden Bereichen der Kontaktschenkel ca. 90°, so dass die Kontaktschenkel etwa L-förmig abgebogen sind. Der jeweils erste Bereich der beiden Kontaktschenkel schließt an den Verbindungsbereich an, während die Kontaktierungsbereiche an den zweiten Bereichen ausgebildet sind und die Enden der zweiten Bereiche die freien Enden der Kontaktschenkel bilden, mit denen voran die Kontaktschenkel in das korrespondierende Kontaktloch in der Leiterplatte eingesteckt werden.In a first embodiment of the plug contact according to the invention, the two contact legs extend in one plane, the main direction of extent of the plug contact running parallel to the insertion direction. According to a second embodiment variant of the plug contact, the two contact legs are angled, the two contact legs each having a first area and a second area which are arranged at an angle α to one another. The angle α between the two areas of the contact legs is preferably approximately 90 °, so that the contact legs are bent approximately in an L-shape. The first area of the two contact legs adjoins the connection area, while the contacting areas are formed on the second areas and the ends of the second areas form the free ends of the contact legs, with which the contact legs are inserted into the corresponding contact hole in the circuit board.

Aufgrund der Abwinklung der Kontaktschenkel ergibt sich eine Verringerung der Bauhöhe des Steckkontakts. Darüber hinaus weist ein Steckkontakt mit abgewinkelten Kontaktschenkeln den Vorteil auf, dass der beim Einstecken der Kontaktschenkel in das Kontaktloch wirksame Arbeitsbereich des Steckkontakts, d.h. der Bereich, der die Rückstellkraft des Steckkontakts erzeugt, im Wesentlichen im ersten Bereich der Kontaktschenkel liegt. Die Kontaktschenkel werden in diesem Bereich primär auf Torsion und nicht auf Biegung beansprucht, was dazu führt, dass der Steckkontakt elastischer ist, im Vergleich zu einem Steckkontakt mit geraden, nicht angewinkelten Kontaktschenkeln. Der Steckkontakt lässt sich dadurch einfacher in ein Kontaktloch einstecken bzw. wieder aus dem Kontaktloch herausziehen.The bending of the contact legs results in a reduction in the overall height of the plug contact. In addition, a plug contact with angled contact legs has the advantage that the working area of the plug contact effective when the contact legs are inserted into the contact hole, ie the area that generates the restoring force of the plug contact, is essentially in the first area of the contact legs. The contact legs are primarily subjected to torsion and not bending in this area, which means that the plug contact is more elastic compared to a plug contact with straight, non-angled contact legs. The plug contact can thus be more easily inserted into a contact hole or pulled out of the contact hole again.

Unabhängig davon, ob die beiden Kontaktschenkel abgebogen sind oder sich in einer Ebene erstrecken, gibt es verschiedene Möglichkeiten, wie der Anschlussbereich des erfindungsgemäßen Steckkontakts ausgebildet sein kann. Erfindungsgemäß ist der Anschlussbereich als Crimpanschluss ausgebildet, mittels dem das abisolierte Ende eines anzuschließenden Leiters elektrisch angeschlossen werden kann. Alternativ kann der Anschlussbereich erfindungsgemäß auch als Schneidanschluss ausgebildet sein, so dass der Anschlussbereich zwei einander gegenüberliegende Schneidkanten aufweist, zwischen die das isolierte Ende eines anzuschließenden Leiters eingedrückt wird, so dass die Schneidkanten die Isolation des Leiters durchdringen und den metallischen Leiter kontaktieren.Regardless of whether the two contact legs are bent or extend in one plane, there are various ways in which the connection area of the plug contact according to the invention can be designed. According to the invention, the connection area is designed as a crimp connection, by means of which the stripped end of a conductor to be connected can be electrically connected. Alternatively, according to the invention, the connection area can also be designed as an insulation displacement connection, so that the connection area has two opposing cutting edges, between which the insulated end of a conductor to be connected is pressed so that the cutting edges penetrate the insulation of the conductor and contact the metallic conductor.

Gemäß einer anderen Ausgestaltung der Steckkontakt, die nicht Teil der Erfindung formt, ist der Anschlussbereich als flacher Strombalken ausgebildet, der zusammen mit einer Zughülse einen Schraubanschluss oder zusammen mit einer Klemmfeder einen Federkraftklemmanschluss bildet. Um die Flächenpressung zwischen einem eingesteckten Leiter und dem Strombalken zu erhöhen, sind an der dem Leiter zugewandten Seite des Strombalkens vorzugsweise mehrere Rillen oder Einkerbungen ausgebildet, wodurch der Übergangswiderstand zwischen dem Leiter und dem Strombalken verringert wird.According to another embodiment of the plug contact, which does not form part of the invention, the connection area is designed as a flat current bar which, together with a tension sleeve, forms a screw connection or, together with a clamping spring, forms a spring-loaded terminal connection. In order to increase the surface pressure between an inserted conductor and the current bar, a plurality of grooves or notches are preferably formed on the side of the current bar facing the conductor, whereby the contact resistance between the conductor and the current bar is reduced.

Die eingangs genannte Aufgabe ist bei der erfindungsgemäßen elektrischen Anschlussklemme mit den Merkmalen des Patentanspruchs 3 gelöst. Die elektrische Anschlussklemme weist einen erfindungsgemäßen Steckkontakt auf, der derart zumindest teilweise im Gehäuse der Anschlussklemme angeordnet ist, dass das Stromschienenstück von dem Anschlussbereich des Steckkontakts gebildet ist, und die Kontaktschenkel des Steckkontakts mit ihren Kontaktierungsbereichen aus der Unterseite des Gehäuses herausragen. Als Unterseite des Gehäuses wird dabei die Seite bezeichnet, die der Leiterplatte zugewandt ist, wenn die Anschlussklemme auf die Leiterplatte aufgesetzt wird. Bezüglich der Vorteile der erfindungsgemäßen elektrischen Anschlussklemme wird auf die vorherigen Ausführungen im Zusammenhang mit dem erfindungsgemäßen Steckkontakt verwiesen.The object mentioned at the beginning is achieved in the electrical connection terminal according to the invention with the features of claim 3. The electrical connection terminal has a plug contact according to the invention, which is arranged at least partially in the housing of the connection terminal in such a way that the busbar piece is formed by the connection area of the plug contact, and the contact legs of the plug contact protrude with their contacting areas from the underside of the housing. The underside of the housing is the side that faces the circuit board when the connection terminal is placed on the circuit board. In terms of the advantages of the electrical connection terminal according to the invention, reference is made to the previous statements in connection with the plug contact according to the invention.

Für den Anschluss eines Leiters an die Anschlussklemme können unterschiedliche Anschlusstechniken verwendet werden, d. h. der erfindungsgemäße Steckkontakt kann bei Anschlussklemmen mit unterschiedlichen Anschlusstechniken bzw. unterschiedlichen Leiteranschlusselementen eingesetzt werden. Gemäß einer nichterfindungsgemäßen Ausgestaltung ist als Leiteranschlusselement eine Klemmfeder vorgesehen, die einen Klemmschenkel und einen Anlageschenkel aufweist, wobei der Klemmschenkel zusammen mit dem Anschlussbereichs des Steckkontakts einen Federkraftklemmanschluss für den anzuschließenden Leiter bildet. Die Verwendung einer Klemmfeder als Leiteranschlusselement hat den zusätzlichen Vorteil, dass ein anzuschließender Leiter über den Federkraftklemmanschluss sehr einfach mit der Anschlussklemme und damit auch mit einer Leiterplatte verbunden werden. Bei Bedarf kann der elektrische Leiter außerdem auch wieder aus der Anschlussklemme herausgezogen werden, wenn der Federkraftklemmanschluss geöffnet wird. Die elektrische Verbindung zwischen dem Leiter und der Leiterplatte kann somit sowohl zwischen dem Leiter und dem Anschlussbereich des Stecckontakts als auch zwischen den Kontaktschenkeln des Steckkontakts und der Leiterplatte gelöst werden.Different connection techniques can be used to connect a conductor to the connection terminal, i. H. the plug contact according to the invention can be used in connection terminals with different connection technologies or different conductor connection elements. According to an embodiment not according to the invention, a clamping spring is provided as the conductor connection element, which has a clamping leg and a contact leg, the clamping leg together with the connection area of the plug contact forming a spring-loaded connection for the conductor to be connected. The use of a clamping spring as a conductor connection element has the additional advantage that a conductor to be connected can be very easily connected to the connection terminal and thus also to a circuit board via the spring-cage terminal connection. If necessary, the electrical conductor can also be pulled out of the connection terminal again when the spring-loaded terminal connection is opened. The electrical connection between the conductor and the circuit board can thus be released both between the conductor and the connection area of the plug contact and between the contact legs of the plug contact and the circuit board.

Entsprechend einer alternativen nichterfindungsgemäßen Ausgestaltung kann die elektrische Anschlussklemme beispielsweise auch als Schraubklemme ausgebildet sein, so dass eine Zughülse im Gehäuse angeordnet ist, die zusammen mit dem Anschlussbereich des Steckkontakts, der dazu als flacher Strombalken ausgebildet ist, einen Schraubanschluss für den anzuschließenden Leiter bildet. Die Zughülse wird dabei mit Hilfe einer Schraube betätigt, die über eine Betätigungsöffnung im Gehäuse der Anschlussklemme zugänglich ist. Alternativ kann das Leiteranschlusselement auch als Crimpanschluss ausgebildet sein, an dem das abisolierte Ende eine anzuschließenden Leiters befestigt werden kann.According to an alternative non-inventive embodiment, the electrical connection terminal can also be designed, for example, as a screw terminal, so that a tension sleeve is arranged in the housing which, together with the connection area of the plug contact, which is designed as a flat current bar, forms a screw connection for the conductor to be connected. The tension sleeve is actuated with the aid of a screw that is accessible via an actuation opening in the housing of the connection terminal. Alternatively, the conductor connection element can also be designed as a crimp connection to which the stripped end of a conductor to be connected can be attached.

Erstreckt sich bei der elektrischen Anschlussklemme der Anschlussbereich in Längsrichtung der Kontaktschenkel, so ist die Leitereinführungsöffnung auf der Oberseite des Gehäuses angeordnet und ein anzuschließender elektrischer Leiter wird senkrecht zur Ebene der Leiterplatte in die Anschlussklemme eingesteckt. Daneben ist es jedoch auch möglich, dass der Anschlussbereich des Steckkontakts senkrecht - oder unter einem Winkel ungleich 90° - zur Längsrichtung der Kontaktschenkel abgebogen ist, so dass die Leitereinführungsöffnung dann entsprechend an einer Stirnseite des Gehäuses angeordnet ist.If, in the case of the electrical connection terminal, the connection area extends in the longitudinal direction of the contact legs, then the conductor entry opening is open arranged on the top of the housing and an electrical conductor to be connected is inserted into the connection terminal perpendicular to the plane of the circuit board. In addition, however, it is also possible that the connection area of the plug contact is bent perpendicularly - or at an angle not equal to 90 ° - to the longitudinal direction of the contact legs, so that the conductor entry opening is then arranged accordingly on one end of the housing.

Zur einfachen Montage der elektrischen Anschlussklemme auf einer Leiterplatte ist gemäß einer weiteren vorteilhaften Ausgestaltung vorgesehen, dass an der Unterseite des Gehäuses mehrere Justierelemente ausgebildet sind, die beim Aufsetzen der Anschlussklemme auf die Leiterplatte in korrespondierende Ausnehmungen in der Leiterplatte einführt werden. Die Enden der Justierelemente sind dabei vorzugsweise konusförmig ausgebildet, was das Einführen der Justierelemente in die korrespondierenden Ausnehmungen in der Leiterplatte erleichtert. Darüber hinaus ist die Länge der Justierelemente so gewählt, dass beim Aufsetzen der Anschlussklemme auf die Leiterplatte zunächst die Justierelemente mit ihren freien Enden in die korrespondierenden Ausnehmungen in der Leiterplatte eingreifen, bevor die Kontaktierungsbereiche der Kontaktschenkel des Steckkontakts in die korrespondierende Kontaktlöcher in der Leiterplatte eintauchen.For easy mounting of the electrical connection terminal on a circuit board, a further advantageous embodiment provides that several adjustment elements are formed on the underside of the housing, which are inserted into corresponding recesses in the circuit board when the connection terminal is placed on the circuit board. The ends of the adjusting elements are preferably conical, which makes it easier to insert the adjusting elements into the corresponding recesses in the circuit board. In addition, the length of the adjustment elements is chosen so that when the connection terminal is placed on the circuit board, the free ends of the adjustment elements first engage in the corresponding recesses in the circuit board before the contact areas of the contact legs of the plug contact dip into the corresponding contact holes in the circuit board.

Gemäß einer weiteren Ausgestaltung der erfindungsgemäßen elektrischen Anschlussklemme sind zusätzlich zu den Justierelementen mindestens zwei Rastelemente an der Unterseite des Gehäuses ausgebildet, die in korrespondierende Ausnehmungen in der Leiterplatte eingreifen. Durch entsprechende Rastvorsprünge oder Rastnasen an den Rastelementen kann sichergestellt werden, dass die elektrische Anschlussklemme nach dem Aufsetzen auf eine Leiterplatte sicher an dieser befestigt ist. Vorzugsweise sind die Rastelemente dabei so ausgebildet, dass sie aus einem ersten, nicht verrastenden Zustand in einen zweiten, verrastenden Zustand und umgekehrt überführt werden können. Dadurch besteht die Möglichkeit, die Verrastung zwischen dem Gehäuse der elektrischen Anschlussklemme und der Leiterplatte wieder zu lösen, so dass die elektrische Anschlussklemme bei Bedarf auch wieder von der Leiterplatte abgehoben werden kann.According to a further embodiment of the electrical connection terminal according to the invention, in addition to the adjusting elements, at least two latching elements are formed on the underside of the housing, which engage in corresponding recesses in the circuit board. Appropriate latching projections or latching lugs on the latching elements can ensure that the electrical connection terminal is securely attached to a printed circuit board after it has been placed on the latter. The latching elements are preferably designed in such a way that they can be transferred from a first, non-latching state to a second, latching state and vice versa. This makes it possible to release the latching between the housing of the electrical connection terminal and the circuit board again, so that the electrical connection terminal can also be lifted off the circuit board again if necessary.

Im Einzelnen gibt es nun eine Mehrzahl von Möglichkeiten, den erfindungsgemäßen Steckkontakt sowie die erfindungsgemäße elektrische Anschlussklemme auszugestalten und weiterzubilden. Dazu wird verwiesen auf die den Patentansprüchen 1 und 3 nachgeordneten Patentansprüche sowie auf die nachfolgende Beschreibung in Verbindung mit den Zeichnungen. In den Zeichnungen zeigen

Fig. 1
eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Ausführungsbeispiels eines Steckkontakts, die nicht erfindungsgemäß ist und lediglich der Veranschaulichung dient,
Fig. 2
einen Ausschnitt einer Leiterplatte mit einem in ein Kontaktloch eingesteckten Steckkontakt gemäß Fig. 1,
Fig. 3
eine vergrößerte Detaildarstellung eines in ein Kontaktloch eingesteckten Kontaktschenkels, im Querschnitt,
Fig. 4
zwei Ausführungsbeispiele des Steckkontakts gemäß der Erfindung,
Fig. 5
jeweils eine Variante der beiden in Fig. 4 dargestellten Steckkontakte,
Fig. 6
ein Ausführungsbeispiel einer elektrischen Anschlussklemme, im Querschnitt,
Fig. 7
zwei Darstellungen des Steckkontakts gemäß Fig. 1, mit zwei unterschiedlichen Leiteranschlusselementen, und
Fig. 8
jeweils eine Variante der beiden in Fig. 7 dargestellten Steckkontakte, mit zwei unterschiedlichen Leiteranschlusselementen.
In detail, there are now a plurality of possibilities for designing and developing the plug contact according to the invention and the electrical connection terminal according to the invention. For this purpose, reference is made to the claims subordinate to claims 1 and 3 and to the following description in conjunction with the drawings. Show in the drawings
Fig. 1
a perspective view of an embodiment of a plug contact, which is not according to the invention and is only used for illustration,
Fig. 2
a section of a circuit board with a plug contact inserted into a contact hole according to FIG Fig. 1 ,
Fig. 3
an enlarged detailed representation of a contact leg inserted into a contact hole, in cross section,
Fig. 4
two embodiments of the plug contact according to the invention,
Fig. 5
a variant of each of the two in Fig. 4 shown plug contacts,
Fig. 6
an embodiment of an electrical connection terminal, in cross section,
Fig. 7
two representations of the plug contact according to Fig. 1 , with two different conductor connection elements, and
Fig. 8
a variant of each of the two in Fig. 7 plug contacts shown, with two different conductor connection elements.

Die Fig. 1 und 2 zeigen einen Steckkontakt 1 zur Kontaktierung einer Leiterplatte 2, wozu der Steckkontakt 1 in ein korrespondierendes Kontaktloch 3 in der Leiterplatte 2 eingesteckt wird. Der aus einem metallischen Flachmaterial ausgestanzte und abgebogene Steckkontakt 1 weist zwei relativ zueinander federnde Kontaktschenkel 4, 5, einen Anschlussbereich 6 und einen Verbindungsbereich 7 auf, wobei die beiden Kontaktschenkel 4, 5 über den Verbindungsbereich 7 miteinander und mit dem Anschlussbereich 6 verbunden sind.the Fig. 1 and 2 show a plug contact 1 for contacting a circuit board 2, for which purpose the plug contact 1 is inserted into a corresponding contact hole 3 in the circuit board 2. The plug contact 1 punched out of a metallic flat material and bent over has two contact legs 4, 5 which are resilient relative to one another, a connection area 6 and a connection area 7, the two contact legs 4, 5 being connected to one another and to the connection area 6 via the connection area 7.

Die Kontaktschenkel 4, 5 weisen jeweils einen im eingesteckten Zustand gemäß Fig. 2 das Kontaktloch 3 kontaktierenden Kontaktierungsbereich 4a, 5a auf, wobei die Außenkontur 8 der beiden Kontaktschenkel 4, 5 im Kontaktierungsbereich 4a, 5a, jeweils im Querschnitt kreissegmentförmig ausgebildet ist, wie dies aus der vergrößerten Querschnittsdarstellung eines in ein Kontaktloch 3 eingesteckten Kontaktschenkels 4 gemäß Fig. 3 ersichtlich ist. Hierbei ist auch ersichtlich, dass der Radius der Außenkontur 8 des Kontaktschenkels 4 etwas geringer ist als der Radius des Kontaktlochs 3, so dass Beschädigungen an der Innenwandung 9 des Kontaktlochs 3 beim Einstecken der Kontaktschenkel 4, 5 in das Kontaktloch 3 verhindert werden. Dies führt dazu, dass ein derart ausgebildeter Steckkontakt 1 deutlich mehr Steck- und Ziehzyklen ermöglicht, als ein Steckkontakt, bei dem die Außenkontur der Kontaktschenkel im Querschnitt gerade ist. Bei einem Steckkontakt, dessen Kontaktschenkel im Kontaktierungsbereich eine gerade Außenkontur aufweisen, können nach einigen Steckzyklen Riefen in der Innenwandung 9 des Kontaktlochs 3 entstehen, so dass die Oberfläche der Innenwandung 9 des Kontaktlochs 3, insbesondere wenn diese eine Beschichtung aufweist, beschädigt wird.The contact legs 4, 5 each have one in the inserted state according to Fig. 2 the contacting area 4a, 5a contacting the contact hole 3, the outer contour 8 of the two contact legs 4, 5 in the contacting area 4a, 5a each having a circular segment-shaped cross-section, as shown in the enlarged cross-sectional view of a contact leg 4 inserted into a contact hole 3 according to FIG Fig. 3 can be seen. It can also be seen here that the radius of the outer contour 8 of the contact leg 4 is slightly smaller than the radius of the contact hole 3, so that damage to the inner wall 9 of the contact hole 3 when the contact legs 4, 5 are inserted into the contact hole 3 is prevented. As a result, a plug contact 1 designed in this way enables significantly more plug-in and pull-out cycles than a plug contact in which the outer contour of the contact legs is straight in cross section. In the case of a plug contact whose contact legs have a straight outer contour in the contacting area, after a few plugging cycles, grooves can appear in the inner wall 9 of the contact hole 3, so that the surface of the inner wall 9 of the contact hole 3, especially if it has a coating, is damaged.

Aus den Fig. 1 und 2 ist darüber hinaus erkennbar, dass die Außenkontur 8 der beiden Kontaktschenkel 4, 5 im Kontaktierungsbereich 4a, 5a auch in Längsrichtung kreissegmentförmig ausgebildet ist, so dass die Kontaktierungsbereiche 4a, 5a ballig ausgebildet sind. Die Kontaktierungsbereiche 4a, 5a kontaktieren die Innenwandung 9 des Kontaktlochs 3 somit nur mit ihrem mittleren Bereich, so dass idealerweise nur eine punktförmige Berührung zwischen den Kontaktschenkeln 4, 5 und dem Kontaktloch 3 besteht. In der Praxis vergrößert sich diese theoretisch punktförmige Berührung aufgrund der Flächenpressung zwischen den Kontaktschenkeln 4, 5 und der Innenwandung 9 des Kontaktlochs 3 auf eine kleine im Wesentlichen kreisförmige Fläche. Da die Kontaktierungsbereiche 4a, 5a aufgrund der balligen Ausbildung keine scharfen Kanten aufweisen, die mit der Innenwandung 9 des Kontaktlochs 3 in Berührung kommen, werden Beschädigungen der Innenwandung 9 des Kontaktlochs 3 beim Stecken und Ziehen des Steckkontakts 1 vermieden. Dadurch bleibt eine an der Innenwandung 9 aufgebrachte Beschichtung beispielsweise aus Zinn auch nach mehreren Steck- und Ziehzyklen des erfindungsgemäßen Steckkontakts 1 noch erhalten.From the Fig. 1 and 2 it can also be seen that the outer contour 8 of the two contact legs 4, 5 in the contacting area 4a, 5a is also configured in the form of a segment of a circle in the longitudinal direction, so that the contacting areas 4a, 5a are convex. The contacting areas 4a, 5a therefore only contact the inner wall 9 of the contact hole 3 with their central area, so that ideally there is only point-like contact between the contact legs 4, 5 and the contact hole 3. In practice, this theoretically point-like contact increases due to the surface pressure between the contact legs 4, 5 and the inner wall 9 of the contact hole 3 to a small, essentially circular area. Since the contacting areas 4a, 5a have no sharp edges that come into contact with the inner wall 9 of the contact hole 3 due to their convex design, damage to the inner wall 9 of the contact hole 3 when the plug contact 1 is plugged in and pulled out is avoided. As a result, there is no coating applied to the inner wall 9, for example Tin still retained even after several plugging and pulling cycles of the plug contact 1 according to the invention.

Bei den in den Figuren dargestellten Ausführungsbeispielen des erfindungsgemäßen Steckkontakts 1 weisen die beiden Kontaktschenkel 4, 5 unterschiedliche Längen auf, wobei am freien Ende 4b des längeren Kontaktschenkels 4 ein Führungsabschnitt 10 angeordnet ist, der sich in Einsteckrichtung E des Steckkontakts 1 vor dem freien Ende 5b des kürzeren, zweiten Kontaktschenkels 5 befindet. Der Führungsabschnitt 10 dient dabei als Einführ- und Zentrierhilfe beim Einstecken des Steckkontakts 1 in das korrespondierende Kontaktloch 3 der Leiterplatte 2. Dazu weist der Führungsabschnitt 10 auf seiner dem Anschlussbereich 6 abgewandten Seite, die beim Einstecken dem Kontaktloch 3 zugewandt ist, eine keilförmige Außenkontur auf, die beim Einstecken des Steckkontakts 1 als Erstes in das Kontaktloch 2 eintaucht.In the exemplary embodiments of the plug contact 1 according to the invention shown in the figures, the two contact legs 4, 5 have different lengths, with a guide section 10 being arranged at the free end 4b of the longer contact leg 4 which extends in the insertion direction E of the plug contact 1 in front of the free end 5b of the shorter, second contact leg 5 is located. The guide section 10 serves as an insertion and centering aid when inserting the plug contact 1 into the corresponding contact hole 3 of the printed circuit board 2. For this purpose, the guide section 10 has a wedge-shaped outer contour on its side facing away from the connection area 6 and facing the contact hole 3 during insertion that dips into the contact hole 2 when the plug contact 1 is inserted.

Bei den in den Fig. 1, 2, 4 und 7 dargestellten Ausführungsbeispielen des erfindungsgemäßen Steckkontakts 1 weisen die beiden Kontaktschenkel 4, 5 jeweils einen ersten Bereich 4c, 5c und einen zweiten Bereich 4b, 5b auf, die unter einem Winkel α zueinander angeordnet sind. Der Winkel α beträgt bei den in den Figuren dargestellten Ausführungsbeispielen ca. 90°, so dass die beiden Kontaktschenkel 4, 5 etwa L-förmig abgebogen sind. Die beiden ersten Bereiche 4c, 5c der Kontaktschenkel 4, 5, die bei der in den Figuren dargestellten Ausrichtung horizontal verlaufen, schließen an den Verbindungsbereich 7 an, während die Enden der beiden zweiten Bereiche 4d, 5d die freien Enden 4b, 5b der Kontaktschenkel 4, 5 bilden. Die Kontaktierungsbereiche 4a, 5a sind dabei an den zweiten Bereichen 4d, 5d ausgebildet, wobei die Breite des Steckkontakts 1 im Bereich der Kontaktierungsbereiche 4a, 5a am Größten ist, so dass im eingesteckten Zustand des Steckkontakts 1 die beiden Kontaktschenkel 4, 5 maximal aufeinander zu gebogen sind, so dass auch die Kontakt-Normalkraft zwischen den Kontaktschenkeln 4, 5 und dem Kontaktloch 3 maximal ist.In the Fig. 1 , 2 , 4th and 7th In the illustrated embodiments of the plug contact 1 according to the invention, the two contact legs 4, 5 each have a first area 4c, 5c and a second area 4b, 5b which are arranged at an angle α to one another. In the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures, the angle α is approximately 90 °, so that the two contact legs 4, 5 are bent approximately in an L-shape. The two first areas 4c, 5c of the contact legs 4, 5, which run horizontally in the orientation shown in the figures, adjoin the connection area 7, while the ends of the two second areas 4d, 5d the free ends 4b, 5b of the contact legs 4 , 5 form. The contacting areas 4a, 5a are formed on the second areas 4d, 5d, the width of the plug contact 1 being greatest in the area of the contacting areas 4a, 5a, so that when the plug contact 1 is plugged in, the two contact legs 4, 5 are maximally towards one another are bent, so that the normal contact force between the contact legs 4, 5 and the contact hole 3 is also at a maximum.

Der in den Fig. 1 und 2 dargestellte Steckkontakt 1 unterscheidet sich von den beiden in Fig. 4 dargestellten Ausführungsvarianten des Steckkontakts 1 durch eine andere Ausgestaltung des Anschlussbereichs 6. Während bei der in den Fig. 1 und 2 dargestellten Ausführungsform der Anschlussbereich 6 als flacher Strombalken 6' ausgebildet ist, ist der Anschlussbereich 6 bei dem Ausführungsbeispiel gemäß Fig. 4a als Crimpanschluss 6" und bei dem Ausführungsbeispiel gemäß Fig. 4b als Schneidanschluss 6'" ausgebildet. Um die Flächenpressung zwischen einem angeschlossenen Leiter und dem Strombalken 6' zu erhöhen, weist dieser auf der dem Leiter zugewandten Seite mehrere Rille 11 auf. Je nach Art der Ausbildung des Anschlussbereichs 6 kann ein elektrischer Leiter somit auf unterschiedliche Art und Weise mit dem Steckkontakt 1 elektrisch verbunden werden.The one in the Fig. 1 and 2 The plug contact 1 shown differs from the two in Fig. 4 illustrated embodiment variants of the plug contact 1 by a different configuration of the connection area 6. While in the Fig. 1 and 2 illustrated embodiment of the connection area 6 as a flatter Is formed current bar 6 ', the connection area 6 is in the embodiment according to Figure 4a as a crimp connection 6 ″ and in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG Figure 4b In order to increase the surface pressure between a connected conductor and the current bar 6 ', this has several grooves 11 on the side facing the conductor Way to be electrically connected to the plug contact 1.

Fig. 5 zeigt jeweils eine Variante der beiden in Fig. 4 dargestellten Steckkontakte 1, bei der die beiden Kontaktschenkel 4, 5 des Steckkontakts 1 nicht abgewinkelt sind, sondern sich in einer Ebene erstrecken. Bei dem Steckkontakt 1 gemäß Fig. 5a ist der Anschlussbereich 6 - entsprechend dem Steckkontakt 1 gemäß Fig. 4a - als Crimpanschluss 6" ausgebildet, während bei dem Stecckontakt 1 gemäß Fig. 5b - entsprechend dem Steckkontakt 1 gemäß Fig. 4b - der Anschlussbereich 6 als Schneidanschluss 6'" ausgebildet ist. Die mögliche Ausbildung des Anschlussbereichs 6 ist somit unabhängig davon, ob die Kontaktschenkel 4, 5 abgewinkelt sind, oder sich in einer Ebene erstrecken. Fig. 5 each shows a variant of the two in Fig. 4 shown plug contacts 1, in which the two contact legs 4, 5 of the plug contact 1 are not angled, but extend in one plane. In the plug contact 1 according to Figure 5a is the connection area 6 - corresponding to the plug contact 1 according to Figure 4a - Designed as a crimp connection 6 ″, while the plug contact 1 according to FIG Figure 5b - According to the plug contact 1 according to Figure 4b the connection area 6 is designed as an insulation displacement connection 6 '". The possible configuration of the connection area 6 is therefore independent of whether the contact legs 4, 5 are angled or extend in one plane.

Fig. 6 zeigt ein bevorzugtes Ausführungsbeispiel einer erfindungsgemäßen elektrischen Anschlussklemme 12, die ein in der Regel aus Kunststoff bestehendes Gehäuse 13 aufweist. In dem Gehäuse 13 sind mehrere Leitereinführungsöffnungen 14 und eine entsprechende Anzahl an Steckkontakten 1 angeordnet, wobei die Kontaktschenkel 4, 5 der einzelnen Steckkontakte 1 mit ihren Kontaktierungsbereichen 4a, 5a aus der einer Leiterplatte 2 zugewandten Unterseite 15 des Gehäuses 13 herausragen. Fig. 6 shows a preferred embodiment of an electrical connection terminal 12 according to the invention, which has a housing 13 that is usually made of plastic. A plurality of conductor entry openings 14 and a corresponding number of plug contacts 1 are arranged in the housing 13, the contact legs 4, 5 of the individual plug contacts 1 protruding with their contacting areas 4a, 5a from the underside 15 of the housing 13 facing a printed circuit board 2.

Bei dem dargestellten Ausführungsbeispiel sind im Gehäuse 13 der Anschlussklemme 12 darüber hinaus noch eine der Anzahl der Steckkontakte 1 entsprechende Anzahl an Klemmfedern 16 als Leiteranschlusselemente angeordnet, die jeweils einen Klemmschenkel 17 und einen Anlageschenkel 18 aufweisen. Dabei ist jede Klemmfeder 16 einem Steckkontakt 1 derart zugeordnet, dass der als flacher Strombalken 6' ausgebildete Anschlussbereich 6 eines Steckkontakts 1 zusammen mit dem freien Ende des Klemmschenkels 17 der Klemmfeder 16 einen Federkraftklemmanschluss für einen durch eine Leitereinführungsöffnung 14 in das Gehäuse 13 eingeführten elektrischen Leiter bildet. Da die Anschlussklemme 12 zum Anschließen von fünf Leitern vorgesehen ist, sind in dem Gehäuse 13 entsprechend auch fünf Leitereinführungsöffnungen 14 ausgebildet. Zum Öffnen der einzelnen Federkraftklemmanschlüsse sind in dem Gehäuse 13 darüber hinaus fünf Betätigungsdrücker 19 verschiebbar angeordnet. Wird ein Betätigungsdrücker 19 in das Innere des Gehäuses 13 eingedrückt, so lenkt der Betätigungsdrücker 19 den Klemmschenkel 17 der Klemmfeder 16 entgegen deren Federkraft aus, so dass die Klemmstelle geöffnet und damit ein angeschlossener Leiter aus der Klemmstelle herausgezogen werden kann. Ist die Klemmstelle mit Hilfe des Betätigungsdrückers 19 geöffnet, so kann darüber hinaus auch ein flexibler Leiter in die Klemmstelle eingeführt werden.In the illustrated embodiment, a number of clamping springs 16 corresponding to the number of plug contacts 1 are also arranged as conductor connection elements in the housing 13 of the connection terminal 12, each of which has a clamping leg 17 and a contact leg 18. Each clamping spring 16 is assigned to a plug contact 1 in such a way that the connection area 6 of a plug contact 1, which is designed as a flat current bar 6 ', together with the free end of the clamping leg 17 of the clamping spring 16 forms a spring-loaded terminal connection for an electrical conductor inserted into the housing 13 through a conductor entry opening 14 forms. Since the connecting terminal 12 is provided for connecting five conductors, five conductor insertion openings 14 are accordingly also formed in the housing 13. To open the individual spring-loaded terminal connections, five actuating levers 19 are also arranged in the housing 13 so as to be displaceable. If an actuating pusher 19 is pressed into the interior of the housing 13, the actuating pusher 19 deflects the clamping leg 17 of the clamping spring 16 against its spring force, so that the clamping point can be opened and a connected conductor can be pulled out of the clamping point. If the terminal point is opened with the aid of the actuating lever 19, a flexible conductor can also be inserted into the terminal point.

Alternativ zu der in Fig. 6 dargestellten Ausgestaltung mit einer Klemmfeder 16 als Leiteranschlusselement kann die Anschlussklemme 12 auch eine Zughülse 20 als Leiteranschlusselement aufweisen, die zusammen mit dem Anschlussbereich 6 eines Steckkontakts 1 einen Schraubanschluss für einen anzuschließenden elektrischen Leiter bildet. Diese beiden möglichen alternativen Anschlussarten - Federkraftklemmanschluss und Schraubanschluss - sind in den Fig. 7 und 8 dargestellt, wobei dort jeweils nur ein Steckkontakt 1 zusammen mit einer Klemmfeder 16 (Fig. 7a und 8a) bzw. mit einer Zughülse 20 (Fig. 7b und 8b) gezeigt sind, also ohne das den Steckkontakt 1 und das jeweilige Leiteranschlusselement aufnehmende Gehäuse. Fig. 7 zeigt dabei zwei Steckkontakte 1 gemäß den Fig. 1 und 2, bei denen die beiden Kontaktschenkel 4, 5 jeweils L-förmig abgebogen sind. Im Unterschied dazu sind bei den beiden Ausführungsbeispielen gemäß Fig. 8 die Steckkontakte 4, 5 nicht abgebogen, sondern erstrecken sich durchgehend in einer Ebene, nämlich in Einsteckrichtung E. Der in den Fig. 7b und 8b dargestellten Schraubanschluss weist darüber hinaus noch eine Schraube 21 auf, mit der der Schraubanschluss betätigt werden kann, so dass das in die Zughülse 20 eingeführte abisolierte Ende eines Leiters mittels der Zughülse 20 gegen den Strombalken 6' gezogen wird.As an alternative to the in Fig. 6 The illustrated embodiment with a clamping spring 16 as a conductor connection element, the connection terminal 12 can also have a tension sleeve 20 as a conductor connection element, which together with the connection area 6 of a plug contact 1 forms a screw connection for an electrical conductor to be connected. These two possible alternative connection types - spring-cage terminal connection and screw connection - are included in the Fig. 7 and 8th shown, with only one plug contact 1 together with a clamping spring 16 ( Figure 7a and 8a ) or with a pulling sleeve 20 ( Figure 7b and 8b ) are shown, that is, without the housing receiving the plug contact 1 and the respective conductor connection element. Fig. 7 shows two plug contacts 1 according to FIG Fig. 1 and 2 , in which the two contact legs 4, 5 are each bent in an L-shape. In contrast to this, in the two exemplary embodiments according to Fig. 8 the plug contacts 4, 5 are not bent, but extend continuously in one plane, namely in the insertion direction E. The in the Figure 7b and 8b The screw connection shown also has a screw 21 with which the screw connection can be actuated so that the stripped end of a conductor inserted into the tension sleeve 20 is pulled against the current bar 6 'by means of the tension sleeve 20.

Zur Befestigung des Gehäuses 13 der elektrischen Anschlussklemme 12 auf einer Leiterplatte 2 sind an der Unterseite 15 des Gehäuses 13 mehrere versetzt zueinander angeordnete Justierelemente 22 ausgebildet, die jeweils über die Unterseite 15 des Gehäuses 13 hinausragen und in korrespondierende Ausnehmungen in einer Leiterplatte 2 eingesteckt werden können. Darüber hinaus können an dem Gehäuse 13 auch noch geeignete Rastelemente ausgebildet sein, mit denen das Gehäuse 13 an einer Leiterplatte verrastet werden kann.To fasten the housing 13 of the electrical connection terminal 12 on a printed circuit board 2, a plurality of offset adjustment elements 22 are formed on the underside 15 of the housing 13, each of which protrudes beyond the underside 15 of the housing 13 and into corresponding recesses can be plugged into a circuit board 2. In addition, suitable latching elements can also be formed on the housing 13, with which the housing 13 can be latched on a printed circuit board.

Claims (4)

  1. Plug contact (1) for making electrical contact with a circuit board (2) by plugging the plug contact (1) into a contact hole (3) of the circuit board (2), with two contact legs (4, 5) which are resilient relative to one another, one terminal region (6) and one connecting region (7), wherein the connecting region (7) connects the two contact legs (4, 5) to one another and to the terminal region (6) and wherein the plug contact (1) is made from a metallic flat material,
    wherein the two contact legs (4, 5) each have one contact-making region (4a, 5a) which make contact with the contact hole (3) in the plugged-in state,
    wherein the outside contour (8) of the two contact legs (4, 5) in the contact-making region (4a, 5a) is made circular segment-shaped in cross section, wherein the radius of the outside contour (8) is smaller than the radius of the corresponding contact hole (3) of the circuit board (2),
    wherein the outside contour (8) of the two contact legs (4, 5) in the contact-making region (4a, 5a) is made circular segment-shaped in the longitudinal direction so that the contact-making regions (4a, 5a) are made crowned,
    characterized in
    that the two contact legs (4, 5) have different lengths, wherein, on the free end (4b) of the longer contact leg (4), a guide segment (10) is made which is located in the plug-in direction (E) of the plug contact (1) upstream of the free end (5b) of the shorter contact leg (5), and
    that the terminal region (6) is made as a crimp terminal (6") or as an insulation piercing terminal (6"').
  2. Plug contact (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the two contact legs (4, 5) each have a first region (4c, 5c) and a second region (4d, 5d) which are located at an angle α to one another so that the two contact legs (4, 5) are bent roughly L-shaped, the two first regions (4c, 5c) immediatly following the connecting region (7) and the contact-making regions (4a, 5a) being made on the second regions (4d, 5d).
  3. Electrical supply terminal (12) with a housing (13), with a conductor terminal element and with a conductor bar piece, wherein a conductor which is to be connected is connectable in an electrically conductive manner to the conductor bar piece by means of the conductor terminal element and wherein, in the housing (13), a conductor entry opening (14) is made for entry of an electrical conductor which is to be connected,
    characterized in
    that a plug contact (1) according to claim 1 or 2 is arranged in the housing (13) such that the conductor bar piece is formed by the terminal region (6) of the plug contact (1) and the contact legs (4, 5) with their contact-making regions (4a, 5a) protrude from the bottom (15) of the housing (13) facing a circuit board (2).
  4. Electrical supply terminal (12) according to claim 3, characterized in that on the bottom (15) of the housing (13) several adjusting elements (22) are made for insertion into corresponding recesses in a circuit board (2).
EP17718540.2A 2016-04-22 2017-04-21 Plug contact Active EP3446366B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102016107482.9A DE102016107482A1 (en) 2016-04-22 2016-04-22 plug contact
PCT/EP2017/059524 WO2017182633A1 (en) 2016-04-22 2017-04-21 Plug contact

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EP3446366A1 EP3446366A1 (en) 2019-02-27
EP3446366B1 true EP3446366B1 (en) 2021-12-08

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US (1) US10680359B2 (en)
EP (1) EP3446366B1 (en)
JP (1) JP2019516223A (en)
CN (1) CN109075472B (en)
CA (1) CA3021611C (en)
DE (1) DE102016107482A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2017182633A1 (en)

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US10680359B2 (en) 2020-06-09
CN109075472A (en) 2018-12-21
JP2019516223A (en) 2019-06-13
US20190123462A1 (en) 2019-04-25
CA3021611A1 (en) 2017-10-26
CN109075472B (en) 2021-12-10
DE102016107482A1 (en) 2017-10-26
EP3446366A1 (en) 2019-02-27
WO2017182633A1 (en) 2017-10-26
CA3021611C (en) 2020-12-22

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