EP3453077A1

EP3453077A1 - Radial jack

Info

Publication number: EP3453077A1
Application number: EP17725866.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Wolfgang Kerner; Joachim Stolz; Christian Ungerer; Alexander SCHRECK; Wolfgang Katz; Martin Wacker; Raimund Ochs
Original assignee: Amphenol Tuchel Electronics GmbH; Fritz Stepper GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Amphenol Tuchel Electronics GmbH; Fritz Stepper GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2016-05-03
Filing date: 2017-04-28
Publication date: 2019-03-13
Anticipated expiration: 2037-04-28
Also published as: WO2017191064A1; DE102016108254B9; DE102016108254B4; DE102016108254A1; EP3453077B1; US20190131755A1; US10594105B2; CN109155480A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing an electric connector jack comprising a cylindrical jack sleeve which includes a receiving space into which a cylindrical contact lamination grating is inserted that has a plurality of parallel contact laminations.

Description

description

The invention relates to an electrical connector socket, which is designed as a radial contact socket and a plurality of longitudinal contact elements for contacting a

having corresponding pin and a surrounding the longitudinal contact elements sleeve. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for producing an electrical connector socket molded with a plurality of longitudinal contact elements for contacting a corresponding connector and a surrounding the longitudinal contact elements socket sleeve. In US 2002/0187686 A1 a bush is shown with a T-shaped connection and the production of a lamellar contact, consisting of a lamellar cage and a rolled contact holder, which rotates in a complex manner and with the aid of various tools in a kind of "hourglass shape" become. Also described in US 4,657,335 a jack which is characterized by a

relatively rotational movement of the ends of a lamellar cage is formed in a sleeve. To determine the lamellar cage in the sleeve rings are slipped over at the respective ends of the sleeve. US 2003/0068931 A1 shows an electrical connector socket comprising a substantially cylindrical bushing sleeve, which is provided at its front ends with recesses to secure a hyperbolic twisted lamellar cage with its connection tabs or in these recesses. From DE 10 201 1 105 821 B4 an electrical connector socket is also known with a cylindrical bushing sleeve, the bushing sleeve having a receiving space in which a hyperbolic wound lamellar cage is mounted and the female sleeve has a first and second end face and the lamellar cage with terminal tongues at the first and second end face of the sleeve sleeve is positively connected thereto and that in the transition region between the sleeve sleeve and the connection tongue openings are mounted and that at least one of the terminal tongues of the lamellar cage protrudes through one of the openings. The solutions known in the prior art all have the disadvantage that the production of the contact elements is very expensive, especially the geometric dimensions of sleeves, end sleeves and a lamellar cage must be coordinated. Due to production, an undesirable tolerance field occurs, which poses considerable practical problems. High-precision pipes must be used regularly for the sleeve, since in each case the inner tube of the lamellar cage must fit into the tube shape of the surrounding sleeve and, if necessary, the surrounding sleeve must be inserted into a further sleeve receptacle and fastened there. Since typically precision tubes can be further processed by turning off so that the desired tolerances can be achieved, the cost of producing a contact system with such sleeves is not economically possible. Alternatively, the sleeves are made in a roll bending process. The well-known in the art "dovetail connections", which serve as connecting elements and are formed on opposite side edges of a sheet, make the

Manufacturing process consuming. If a sleeve of a metal sheet with such dovetail joints are formed, so it requires a special joining movement of the tool. On the one hand, the sheet must be rolled into a sleeve shape, on the other hand, the dovetail joints must be joined together over different levels. Such a dovetail joint is z. B. from US 2002/0187686 A1. The production of a high current contact element according to the ^' process shown there is therefore complicated, complicated and not economical to produce high quantities of connectors. Regularly, there is also a problem in that a twisting of the lamellar cage takes place in the sleeve, so that between the sleeve and the lamella cage holding devices must be created in order to determine the cage rotationally effective in the sleeve on the one hand and on the other hand with a tool in the cage to intervene to twist this around its central axis, so that. the contact blades are constricted inside. Another very significant problem is represented by such contact systems, in which a cylindrical, in particular cylindrically rolled, contact grid is fastened to both end-side collar webs in the sleeve surrounding the contact grid, and is thus clamped on both sides.

In general, therefore, generic connector sockets comprise an inserted contact grid, which by means of complex material-joining methods (such.

Welding) is connected to the sleeve.

Furthermore, the sleeve itself often also still needs to be curled, as the

Dovetail connections do not provide sufficient support. In a conventional fixed contact grid a variety of other problems occur in the application, since the contact system is mechanically over-determined by an excessive number of breakpoints. This results in the insertion process and in subsequent operation by vibration, acting forces and thermo-mechanical effects to increased loads on both clamping points, since the contact, in particular after insertion of a corresponding pin, is clamped so that it can not dodge any of the aforementioned forces so to speak ,

Object of the present invention is therefore to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages and to produce a connector socket much easier and more economical, at the same time the number of components to be reduced and in particular the

Production speed can be significantly increased.

The invention is solved by a connector socket with the features of claim 1 and a method according to the features of claim 9.

The basic idea of the present invention is not to use the cylindrical sleeve as known in the art by means of a dovetail joint in one

Produce overlap mounting, but to provide a joining contour of several specifically shaped joining elements at both abutting edges of a sheet, so that no

Overlapping (as in a puzzle), but a joint assembly by a

Movement of the end side edges of the sheet to be formed together with a forming movement is used. According to the invention, therefore, a method for producing an electrical

Connector socket proposed, comprising a cylindrical sleeve sleeve, wherein the sleeve sleeve is formed with a receiving space in which a cylindrical

Contact lamellae with a multitude of parallel contact lamellae

is inserted, with the following process steps:

a. Producing a substantially flat sheet metal part consisting of two

End portions and an intermediate portion located therebetween (integrally), wherein the sheet metal part has two each extending from the one to the opposite end portion longitudinal side edges and a respective transverse edge at one of the two end portions, which delimits the end portions, wherein each extension of the longitudinal side edges of two support arms from the front side the one transverse side edge of the sheet metal part and that protrude from the one end portion, wherein the retaining arms have at their respective free Haltearmende a latching nose for engagement in an undercut, which is in each case formed as a corresponding recess in the opposite end portion of the sheet;

b. Introducing a respective predetermined bending point for the holding arms in the respective longitudinal side edge in the region of the respective holding arm;

c. Rolling the sheet metal part to a cylindrical bushing sleeve, wherein the am

Endabschnitt of the sheet metal part mounted holding arms when hitting or when meeting with the corresponding end of the

opposite end portion of this sheet metal part as intended to spring out around the previously introduced predetermined bending point around to the outside and / or be bent until the locking lugs of the retaining arms in the corresponding recess at the corresponding end portion a little far. In other words, this means that when rolling the sheet metal part for

Bushing sleeve a forced bending movement of the holding arms takes place in which this on corresponding cams on the opposite side, d. H. the

accumulate opposite end portion of the sheet metal part. Once these are bent and have come into their intended position and that fixing position, the retaining arms spring back with their locking lugs back a bit, so that the locking lugs engage in the corresponding undercut on the opposite side. In a preferred embodiment of the invention it is provided that for carrying out the aforementioned step c) attaching the predetermined bending point to the spring arms by means of a recess or a notch in the respective longitudinal side edge and that takes place in the region of the spring arms themselves, preferably at a point on the Longitudinal side edge which lies at the intersection of the extension of the transverse side edge and the respective longitudinal side edge, thus at the connection point of the spring arm itself. In this way, the spring arm can be bent around its attachment point at the transverse edge a bit far from its originally produced position to the outside at the

Rolling the sheet metal part together to ensure that the front side edges can move towards each other at a single mounting height.

This has the particular advantage that a much simpler tool for producing the punching / bending process can be provided. Namely, since the rolling operation can be formed so that when rolling the end portions of this

produced sheet metal part these moves toward each other and although can be moved toward each other within a montage, eliminating a step in which z. B. an overlap or bottom flap of one of the end sections must be made to thread this then in a complex sequence of movements in a corresponding corresponding mating contour, such. B. a dovetail latch.

According to the idea of the present invention, therefore, a simple way

Merging the front sides take place, in which initially spring up the support arms and then with their trained for latching end portion in corresponding

Engage counter-latching recesses on the opposite side.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the method is provided so that the sheet metal part is formed so that the respective support arm is formed from an elongated arm portion, at the respective free holding arm end facing in the direction of the other arm locking lug is formed. These have a sloping side edge, which serves as a control surface for cooperation with a corresponding edge surface of the opposite transverse side edge. It is further provided with advantage if the method is designed so that during

Producing the sheet metal part of the end portion and that one end portion which does not carry out the holding arms, is shaped as follows:

the width of this end portion is formed smaller in the region of the end face than the width in the central portion of the sheet metal part and

at the corners of the front side of the transverse side edge of this end portion are

Retaining tabs, preferably provided approximately in trapezoidal shape or at least partially trapezoidal, which each have an obliquely extending, each directed to the outside

Form side edge, which serve to cooperate with the aforementioned oblique front side edges of the support arms and the latching noses of these support arms. ., In a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention it is provided that when connecting the end portions of the sheet metal part they are fed to each other frontally within a mounting plane and at the meeting, the holding arms of the end portion, as explained above, are actuated outwards by this with their Side edge impinge on the also mentioned above frontal control edge at the opposite end portion.

It is further envisaged with advantage that, after the aforementioned step c), the two holding arms are force-actuated by a tool with their latching lugs in the direction of the corresponding recesses and indeed from a mounting position into a fixing position, preferably plastically bent.

In other words, this means that after the rolling process, as soon as the locking lugs of the retaining arms in the corresponding recesses on the opposite

Intervene end portion of the sheet, still leaves a slight freedom of movement for the retaining arms. For this purpose, it can be provided in the context of a plastic deformation of the holding arms that they are deformed or actuated either by means of a tool or tool, of the aforementioned position in its end position (fixing position).

In this way, there is a positive connection between the locking lugs and the corresponding recesses. In the fixing position so that the detents dive completely into the recesses at the opposite end portion.

^' In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention it is provided that along the one longitudinal side edge at least one, preferably two or more elevations are mounted on the inside of the bushing sleeve (eg imprints), which serves as an end stop for a front side edge of a contact blade grid to be inserted into the bushing sleeve serve.

Likewise, it may be advantageously provided that along the longitudinal side edge at least one, preferably two or more window-like recesses are introduced into the sheet metal part for immersing spring arms of the contact lamellar grid in order to

Fix the contact lamellae in the bushing sleeve. In this way it can be provided according to the invention that two strips are guided side by side in a manufacturing process, wherein from the one metal strip or sheet metal strip, the aforementioned sheet metal part for producing the cylindrical sleeve sleeve, while the other sheet metal part is used to make the contact blade grid. The contact lamellar grid can be inserted into the bushing sleeve so that it abuts with its insertion-side, frontal end of the abovementioned stops, while at the same time formed by the Kontaktlamellengitter spring arms in the aforementioned recesses in the sheet metal part of

Immerse bushing sleeve.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, it is provided that each centering elements corresponding to one another are attached to the end sections at the end sections, which each have obliquely extending side edges

provide, learn or experience a forced operation in the meeting with the respective opposite centering, so that an automatic alignment of the

Endabschnitte when merging takes place, mind you, when they meet within a mounting plane frontally. Another aspect of the present invention relates to an electrical connector socket.

According to the invention therefore also an electrical connector socket is proposed comprising a cylindrical sleeve sleeve, wherein the sleeve sleeve is formed with a receiving space in which a cylindrical lamellar cage is inserted with a plurality of parallel contact blades, wherein the cylindrical sleeve sleeve is formed from a substantially flat sheet metal part, consisting of two end sections and

SUBSTITUTE SHEET an intermediate central portion, wherein the sheet metal part has two each from one of the one to the opposite end portion extending longitudinal side edges and a respective transverse edge, each delimiting one of the two end portions, each in extension of the longitudinal side edges of two support arms frontally from the

Transverse edge of the sheet metal part projecting from the end portion and wherein the retaining arms have at their respective free Haltearmende a locking lug, with which it is formed in an undercut of each as a corresponding recess in the opposite end portion of the sheet and engage, wherein a predetermined bending point by means of a recess in the longitudinal side edge is provided in the region of the respective support arm.

Further embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the claims and the figures and the associated description of the figures, the figures show the following:

Fig. 1 is a wound shape of a sheet metal part B according to a

Embodiment of the present invention, from the one

cylindrical bushing sleeve is formed according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cylindrical bushing sleeve during the invention

Process in an intermediate step;

Fig. 3, the cylindrical sleeve sleeve of Fig. 2 in a further

Assembly step;

4 is a perspective view of a cylindrical bushing sleeve,

produced by the method according to the invention.

In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an exemplary embodiment with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, wherein the same reference numbers refer to the same functional and / or structural features.

In FIG. 1, a plan view of a unwound sheet metal part B is first shown, from which the cylindrical bushing sleeve 2 shown in FIG. 4 according to the previously described

process according to the invention is produced. The sheet metal part B consists of two end sections E1 and E2 and an intermediate middle section M. The sheet metal part also has two each from the one to the

opposite end portion E1, E2 extending longitudinal side edges 20a _: 20b and each have a transverse edge 21 a, 21 b, each of which limits one of the two end portions E1, E2.

As can also be seen, the sheet metal part B has a substantially rectangular

Basic form, wherein the transverse side edges 21 a, 21 b have a non-linear course, which will be described in more detail below.

As can also be seen in the unwound view of FIG. 1, in the extension of the longitudinal side edges 20a and 20b, two holding arms 22a, 22b protrude from the transverse side edge 21a of the sheet metal part B, namely from the end section E1.

As will be seen further, the retaining arms 22a, 22b have their respective free ones

Holding arms 23a, 23b, a detent 24 which is adapted to engage in an undercut 25 described later, which is in each case formed as a corresponding recess 26 in the opposite end portion E2 of the sheet, as can be seen well for example in Figures 3 and 4 ,

The sheet metal part B shown and described in Fig. 1 is preferably by means of a

Punching process produced. During or after production of this sheet metal part B, the

Introducing a respective predetermined bending point 27 in the longitudinal side edges 20a, 20b and in the region of the support arms 22a, 22b, as well also in the figures 1 to 4 can be seen. The

Sollbiegestellen 27 are here as small semi-circular notches in the

Longitudinal side edges 20a, 20b provided. The sheet metal part B as described above is now converted by rolling, ie by a Umbiegeprozess to a cylindrical sleeve sleeve 2, as shown in Fig. 2. When rolling or bending of the sheet metal part B attached to the end portion E1 of the sheet metal part B retaining arms 22a, 22b when hitting the end face of the opposite end portion E2 of the sheet metal part B, as intended, around the predetermined bending point 27 around initially deflected outwardly or bent until the locking lugs 2 of the said retaining arms 22a, 22b in the corresponding recess 26, as shown in Fig. 2, a piece far spring. When merging run the tapered side edges 31 of the support arms 22a, 22b and the locking lugs 24 of the support arms 22a, 22b on the later-described oblique counter-contours on the opposite end portion E2. By the

Cooperation with the corresponding correspondingly opposite oblique side edges, the support arms 22a, 22b are rebounded to the outside and then spring back into their final position in the recesses 26 mentioned above. This state is shown by way of example in FIG. 2, in which the latching lugs 24 of the holding arms 22a, 22b dive a little way into the recesses 26.

FIG. 3 shows how, after the aforementioned step, the two holding arms 22a, 22b are subjected to force by a tool with their latching lugs in the direction of

Corresponding recess 26 is actuated from its mounting position into its fixing position and thereby preferably plastically deformed or bent.

As shown in Fig. 3 with the two arrows, so to speak, the support arms of the position shown in FIG. 2 in the position shown in FIG. 3 is not elastic but plastically deformed, so that after removal of the tools or the force Retaining arms remain in this position, in which the locking lugs 24 extend completely into the recess 26 and a positive connection between the locking lugs and the retaining arms is formed.

As further shown in Fig. 1, the sheet metal part is formed in its manufacture so that the respective support arm 22a, 22b is formed of a substantially elongated arm portion 30 at its respective free Haltearmende 23a, 23b in the direction of the other support arm 22a , 22b-facing locking lug 24 is formed, so that each support arm 22a, 22b has an approximately L-shaped form. At the detent 24 a as mentioned above obliquely side edge 31 is further formed, which serves as a control cam and that to

Cooperation with a likewise tapered edge surface 34 of the

opposite transverse side edge 21 b.

As further shown in Figures 1 to 4, the sheet metal part B is formed so that the width of the end portion E2 is formed in the region of the end face is less than in the central portion M and that at the corners of the end side of the transverse side edge 21 a, 21 b of the end portion E2

Holding tabs are provided. The retaining tabs have an approximately trapezoidal or lobed shape, which connect in one piece directly to the corners of the end portion E2. These retaining tabs 39 each have an obliquely tapered, outwardly directed side edge 34, which serve in cooperation with the aforementioned oblique front side edges 31 to spring the retaining arms 22a, 22b.

The sequence of rolling the sheet metal part B to the cylindrical sleeve sleeve 2 is not shown in detail, but can be described as follows.

The flat sheet metal part B is brought by means of a tool in a cylindrical shape, that the end portions E1, E2 of the sheet metal part B within a common ontageebene end face each other are supplied to Shen at the meeting, the holding arms 22a, 22b of the end portion E1 are operated Shen away in which they impinge with their oblique side edge on the front-side control edge 34a at the opposite end portion E2 and compress after reaching the final assembly position in the recesses 26. In this position, the front sides of the transverse side edges 21 a, 21 b already touch. As can be seen further in FIG. 1, the sheet-metal part B is shaped such that centering elements Z1, Z2 which correspond to one another on the end sections E1, E2 are or are respectively formed, which respectively provide obliquely extending side edges which coincide with each other the respective opposite centering element Z1 or Z2 experiences a positive guidance, so that an automatic alignment of the end portions E1, E2 takes place during assembly.

As further shown in FIG. 4, two elevations 36 on the inside of the

Socket sleeve 2 has been attached, which serve as an end stop for a front edge edge of an inserted into the female sleeve contact lamellar grid 3 ¹ . The contact lamellar grid 3 is inserted laterally from below into the cylindrical bushing sleeve 2 shown in FIG. 3, until it abuts with its front side edge against the abovementioned end stops 36. at

Reaching these attacks rest simultaneously spring arms not shown in detail

Kontaktlamellengitters 3 in window-like recesses 37, which were introduced into the sheet metal part B, and thus fix the contact lamellar 3 in the female sleeve 2, to provide a total of the connector socket 1 according to the invention. The invention is not limited in its execution to the above-mentioned preferred embodiments. Rather, a number of variants is conceivable, which makes use of the illustrated solution even with fundamentally different types of use.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 connector socket

2 bushing sleeve

3 contact lamellar grid

20 recording room

20a, 20b longitudinal edges

21 a, 21 b transverse edges

22a, 22b holding arms

23a, 23b holding arm end

24 latch

25 undercut

26 recess

27 predetermined bending point

30 arm section

31 front side edge

34 control edge / side edge / edge surface

34a control edge

36 surveys

37 recess

39 holding tabs

B sheet metal part

E1, E2 end sections

M middle section

Z1, Z2 centering elements / centering edges

Δχ section

Replacement Blade Rule 26

Claims

claims

Radial contact socket

1. A method for producing an electrical connector socket (1) comprising a cylindrical bushing sleeve (2), wherein the bushing sleeve (2) with a receiving space (20) is formed in which a cylindrical contact lamellae (3) with a plurality of parallel contact blades ( 31) is inserted, with the following method steps:

a. Producing a substantially flat sheet-metal part (B) consisting of two end sections (E1, E2) and an intermediate section (M) therebetween, the sheet-metal part (B) having two longitudinal side edges each extending from one to the opposite end sections (E1, E2) ( 20a, 20b) and each have a transverse edge (21 a, 21 b), each one of the two end portions (E1, E2) delimited, in each case in extension of the longitudinal side edges

(20 a, 20 b) two support arms (22 a, 22 b) frontally from the transverse side edge (21 a) of the sheet metal part (B) from the end portion (E1) protrude, wherein the holding arms (22 a, 22 b) at their respective free Haltearmende (23 a, 23 b ) has a latching nose (24) for engagement in an undercut (25) which is in each case formed as a corresponding recess (26) in the opposite end portion (E2) of the sheet metal;

b. Introducing a respective predetermined bending point (27) for the holding arms (22a, 22b) into the longitudinal side edge (20a, 20b) delimiting the respective holding arm (22a, 22b) on the outside;

c. Rolling of the sheet metal part (B) to a cylindrical bushing sleeve (2), wherein the at the end portion (E1) of the sheet metal part (B) mounted holding arms (22a, 22b) when hitting the front side of the opposite end portion (E2) of the sheet metal part (B) as intended First around the predetermined bending point (27) around to spring outward and / or be bent until the latching noses (24) of the holding arms (22a, 22b) in the corresponding recess (26) deflect a piece far.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that for carrying out the step c) in claim 1 attaching a predetermined bending point (27) on the spring arms by means of a recess or notch in the respective longitudinal side edge

(20a, 20b) in the region of the holding arms (22a, 22b) takes place, preferably at a point on the longitudinal side edge (20a, 20b), which at the intersection of the extension of

Transverse edge (21 a, 21 b) and the respective longitudinal side edge (20 a, 20 b) is located.

3. The method according to ^' claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sheet metal part (B) is shaped so that the respective holding arm (22a, 22b) is formed from an elongated arm portion (30) at its respective free Haltearmende (23a, 23b) is formed in the direction of the other holding arm facing latching lug (24) having a sloping side edge (31) which serves as a control surface for cooperation with an edge surface of the opposite transverse side edge (21 b).

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the manufacture of the sheet metal part (B) of the end portion (E2) is shaped as follows:

the width of the end portion (E2) is less in the region of the end face than in the central portion (M) and at the corners of the front side of the transverse side edge (21 b) of the end portion (E2) retaining tabs are provided, each one obliquely Shen in each case to Au directed side edge (34) form, which to

Cooperation with the oblique front side edges (31) of the holding arms (22a, 22b) are used.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that when connecting the end portions (E1, E2) of the sheet metal part (B), these are fed to each other within an assembly plane frontally and upon contact the holding arms (22a, 22b) of the end portion (E1 ) are actuated away from the outside by this with its side edge (31) on a front control edge (34) on

impinge on the opposite end portion (E2). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that after the .Step c) in claim 1, the two holding arms (22a, 22b) subjected to force by a tool with their locking lugs in the direction of the corresponding

Recess (26) actuated from an assembly position into a fixing position,

preferably be plastically bent.

Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that along the one longitudinal side edge (20a) at least one, preferably two or more elevations (36) on the inside of the bushing sleeve (2) are mounted, which as an end stop for a front side edge of a sleeve in the bushing

serve to be introduced contact lamellar grid (3).

Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that along the longitudinal side edge (20b) at least one, preferably two or more window-like recesses (37) in the sheet metal part (B), are inserted for immersing spring arms of the contact lamellar grid (3) to the Fix the contact lamellar grille (3) in the bushing sleeve (2).

Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that respective centering elements (Z1, Z2) corresponding to one another are attached to the end sections at the end sections (E1, E2), which each extend obliquely

Provide side edges that coincide with each

opposite centering (Z1 and Z2) experiences a positive guidance, so that an automatic alignment of the end portions (E1, E2) takes place during assembly.

10. Electrical connector socket (1) comprising a cylindrical sleeve sleeve (2), wherein the sleeve sleeve (2) with a receiving space (20) is formed in which a cylindrical lamellar cage having a plurality of parallel

Contact blade (31) is inserted, characterized in that the cylindrical bushing sleeve (2) is formed from a substantially flat sheet metal part (B), consisting of two end portions (E1, E2) and an intermediate therebetween

Middle section (M), wherein the sheet metal part (B) two each extending from the one to the opposite end portions (E1, E2) extending longitudinal side edges

(20a, 20b) and each have a transverse edge (21 a, 21 b), each one of the two end portions (E1, E2) delimited, wherein each extension of the longitudinal side edges (20a and 20b) two support arms (22a, 22b) the end face from the transverse side edge (21 a) of the sheet metal part (B) of the end portion (E1) protrude, wherein the retaining arms

(22a, 22b) at their respective free Haltearmende (23a, 23b) has a latching nose (24) with this in an undercut (25), each as a corresponding recess (26) in the opposite end portion (E2) of the sheet

is formed engage, wherein a predetermined bending point (27) by means of a recess (26) in the longitudinal side edge (20a, 20b) in the region of the respective support arm (22a, 22b) is provided.