EP3566266B1 - Plug with shield contact tongues arranged in front of contact elements in the axial direction - Google Patents

Description

Field of technology

The invention relates to a contact carrier, which can be connected or connected to a wire of a cable and which extends in the direction of a connector axis, and to a single contact carrier extending on an arcuate line around the connector axis and in the direction of the connector axis, in particular arched around the connector axis Screen contact arrangement forming screen contact tongues.

State of the art

the DE 103 35 609 A1 describes a plug with a screen, a screen contact arrangement having a plurality of individual contact tongues which are arranged in a uniform circumferential distribution around a contact carrier and bear against a cylinder jacket wall of the contact carrier.

the GB 2 066 591 describes a metal strip bent into a cylinder, which has contact springs projecting radially outward and which is attached to a cylinder jacket wall of a contact carrier.

Summary of the invention

The invention is based on the object of designing a plug via whose contact elements currents or signals can be transmitted and via whose contact screen arrangement high currents, in particular for diverting a lightning bolt, can be transmitted.

The object is achieved by the invention specified in claim 1, the subclaims representing advantageous developments of the invention.

First and foremost, it is provided that a plug has a contact carrier. The contact carrier is preferably made of plastic or another electrically insulating material and carries a plurality of contact elements which extend in the direction of a connector axis and which come into electrical contact with mating contact elements when the connector is plugged together with a mating connector. A shield contact arrangement extends radially outside the contact elements on a first circular arc line around the plug axis. The shield contact arrangement forms a large number of individual shield contact tongues. The shield contact tongues each have an end section which is arranged in the axial direction in front of the contact carrier and the contact elements. The end section has contact springs pointing radially outward. A connector designed in this way is able to transmit signals via the contact elements brought into contact with corresponding mating contact elements. The shield contact arrangement is connected to a cable shield by means of which the wires of the cable are shielded from interference fields. However, interference currents and, in particular, interference currents that can be traced back to a lightning strike can also be diverted into the earth via the shield of the cable. The shield contact tongues designed according to the invention enter slots of a mating connector. The mating connector has a central area in which the mating contacts are arranged. The slots for inserting the shield contact tongues can be slots in a metal body which surrounds the mating contact carrier of the mating connector. The metal body is earthed by suitable means. The walls of the slot form contact surfaces with which contact springs come into contact which are assigned to an end section of a screen contact zone. The contact springs are designed so that they point radially outwards. According to the invention, the contact springs are cut free from the end section of the shield contact tongue, each forming a window. The end section of the shield contact tongue preferably has a rectangular outline. The shield contact tongues are preferably arranged in a uniform circumferential distribution around the connector axis and extend in the axial direction, being curved around the connector axis. The shield contact tongues thus extend along a cylinder jacket surface. The shield contact tongues are formed by projections extending in the axial direction of a sheet metal strip bent to form a sleeve, the sheet metal strip being encapsulated by an injection molding compound of the contact carrier. Radially outwardly projecting projections of the contact carrier can be provided between the preferably four shield contact tongues, which are arranged in a uniform circumferential distribution around the plug axis. These projections can be the same as one another. However, the projections are preferably different from one another and form coding lugs with the aid of which the connector can only be plugged together with the mating connector in a defined rotational position. The mating connector preferably has a recess into which the head of the connector can be inserted, the wall of the recess having coding recesses into which the coding lugs can enter. When the plug and mating connector are plugged together, the shield contact tongues protruding freely in the axial direction over the end face of the contact carrier initially enter the associated insertion slots of the mating connector. In a further development of the invention it is provided that the contact elements are contact pins or contact sleeves, wherein the contact pins in contact sleeves of the mating connector or contact pins of the mating connector can enter the contact sleeves of the connector. The contact elements are preferably arranged in a recess of the contact carrier, it being possible for the recess to be surrounded by an annular edge. The recess is preferably a pot-shaped recess, into which the socket carrying the contact elements of the mating connector can enter when the connector and the mating connector are plugged together. The contact elements of the plug arise from the bottom of the recess and have an axial length which is less than the axial depth of the recess, so that their free ends are arranged within the recess. The contact springs are connected to the shield contact tongue via a bending edge that runs along the edge of the window. The bending edge preferably extends essentially perpendicular to the plug axis and runs in the circumferential direction. The bending edges of all shield contact tongues arranged in a circle around the connector axis thus preferably run on a circular arc line or form secant-shaped sections of a circular arc line. A first, essentially flat leg of the contact spring, which is directed obliquely to the connector axis, adjoins the bending line. A second, free leg of the contact spring adjoins an apex line, which is also formed by a bending line. The apex line runs on a radially outer circumferential line. It is a second circular arc line, the radius of which is greater than the radius of the first circular arc line. The free end of the free leg of the contact spring is rounded. In a preferred embodiment, the plug has on its side opposite the shield contact tongues a handle which extends in the direction of the plug axis and which can be formed from a flat section and which has an opening at its end. The cable preferably protrudes from the handle or the connector axis at an acute angle. In the area of a head of the plug from which the shield contact tongues originate, the plug has a circular outline, the plug axis running through the center of the head.

The invention also relates to a connector arrangement consisting of a connector and a mating connector, wherein the head of the connector can be inserted into a recess of the mating connector. The bottom of the recess of the mating connector is preferably an electrically conductive one Contact plate formed, which has contact slots extending around the base and into which the shield contact tongues can engage. The base of the mating connector engages in the recess of the connector so that the contact elements of the connector can come into electrically conductive contact with contact elements of the mating connector. The axial length of the shield contact tongues and the material thickness of the contact plate are preferably coordinated in such a way that the leg of the contact spring pointing away from the free end of the shield contact tongue rests on the rear edge of the contact plate and thereby not only an electrical connection between the shield contact tongue and contact plate, but also a latching connection trains. When the shield contact tongue is inserted into the contact slot, the leg of the contact spring pointing towards the free end of the shield contact tongue acts as a run-up bevel, so that the contact spring is deformed around the bending line when it is inserted into the contact slot until the apex between the two legs of the contact spring has entered the contact slot is. In the fully inserted state, the apex between the two legs of the contact spring is preferably on the side of the contact plate facing away from the recess of the mating connector.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Steckers mit einem Gegenstecker;

Fig. 2

vergrößert den Ausschnitt II in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

weiter vergrößert eine Seitenansicht auf den Stecker,

Fig. 4

eine Stirnseitenansicht auf den Stecker,

Fig. 5

einen Schnitt gemäß der Linie V - V in Fig. 4,

Fig. 6

einen Gegenstecker in einer perspektivischen, teilweise aufgebrochenen Darstellung,

Fig. 7

den Gegenstecker in einer zweiten perspektivischen Darstellung aufgebrochen,

Fig. 8

den Schnitt gemäß der Linie VIII - VIII in Fig. 7,

Fig. 9

den Schnitt IX - IX in Fig. 11,

Fig. 10

den Schnitt X - X in Fig. 11 eines in einen Gegenstecker 20 gesteckten Steckers und

Fig. 11

einen Querschnitt gemäß der Schnittlinie XI -XI in Fig. 9.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a connector according to the invention with a mating connector;

Fig. 2

enlarges the section II in Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3

further enlarged a side view of the connector,

Fig. 4

an end view of the connector,

Fig. 5

a section along the line V - V in Fig. 4 ,

Fig. 6

a mating connector in a perspective, partially broken view,

Fig. 7

the mating connector broken open in a second perspective view,

Fig. 8

the section along the line VIII - VIII in Fig. 7 ,

Fig. 9

the section IX - IX in Fig. 11 ,

Fig. 10

the section X - X in Fig. 11 a plug plugged into a mating connector 20 and

Fig. 11

a cross section according to the section line XI -XI in Fig. 9 .

Description of the embodiments

The connector shown in the drawings is used in particular as a connector for connecting a signal line to a mating connector on a wind power plant. A cable 16, which has an outer jacket and a screen arranged below the outer jacket, opens into the plug. The screen surrounds at least three wires which are each connected to a contact element 1 within the connector housing. In the exemplary embodiment, five contact elements are provided. The shield is connected to a shield plate which forms four shield contact tongues 3.

In the exemplary embodiment, the contact elements 1 are designed as contact pins and arise from the bottom of a cup-shaped recess 14 which has an annular edge 15. An imaginary plug axis A runs through the center of the base of the recess 14. The edge 15 runs on a circular arc line around the plug axis A. The recess 14 has an essentially flat base 18 from which the contact elements 1 arise. The free ends of the contact elements 1 lie within the recess 14. The axial length of the contact elements 1 is less than the depth of the recess 14, that is to say the distance between the edge 15 and the base 18.

The screen contact carrier, which can be formed by a sheet metal bent into a cylinder or by a cylindrical body, also extends on an arcuate line around the plug axis A. A sleeve-shaped section of the screen contact carrier is injected into the contact carrier 2 made of plastic.

Four shield contact tongues 3 made of metal and arranged on a circular arc line protrude from the end face of the contact carrier 2. The shield contact tongues 3, which have an essentially rectangular outline, project beyond the end face of the contact carrier 2. The shield contact tongues 3 are thus free in the direction of the plug axis A in front of the contact carrier 2 and in particular in front of the opening of the recess 14 and the ends of the contact elements 1.

There are shield contact tongues 3 arranged in a uniform circumferential distribution around the plug axis A, between which projections made of the material of the contact carrier 2 extend. In the exemplary embodiment, the projections are designed and formed differently from one another Coding tabs 10, 11, 12, 13 off. The coding lugs 11, 13 are designed as a mirror image in the top view of the end face. The coding lugs 10 and 12 extending between the coding lugs 11 and 13 differ in their cross-sectional thickness, measured in the circumferential direction.

Each of the plurality of shield contact tongues 3 has a curved shape and contact springs 4 that are bent outward in the radial direction.

The contact spring 4 has two roof-shaped angled legs 6, 8 which meet in an apex line 7 is cut free by punching or the like. The free end of the leg 8 can pivot elastically into the window 9 when a radial pressure is exerted on the apex line 7.

On the side opposite the shield contact tongues 3 protrudes from the head of the plug, which has a circular outline and forms the contact carrier 2, which has a flat shape and a circular opening at its free end. The cable 16 protrudes from the handle 17 at an acute angle at an angle to the plug axis A. The one in the Figures 1 to 5 The connector shown is able to plug into a mating connector like the one in the Figures 6 to 8 is shown to be plugged in, so that there is an arrangement as it Figures 9 to 11 show.

The mating connector 20 has a metal contact plate 26 which has a central opening through which a base 21 protrudes, which consists of an electrically insulating material and which has openings on its end face, in which contact elements 25 plugged with the Contact elements 1 of the plug can be brought into an electrical conductive connection. The base 21 has such a diameter and such an axial length that it can be inserted into the recess 14 of the plug.

The base 21 and several arcuate contact slots 27 which surround the base 21 and run on a circular arc line are surrounded by a wall 23, so that a cylindrical recess 22 is formed into which the head of the plug can be inserted so that the coding lugs 10, 11 , 12, 13 can enter into coding recesses 24 of the wall 23.

The contact plate 26 forms the bottom of the recess 22. The shield contact tongues 3 engage in the contact slots 27. The apex line 7 lies on the side of the contact plate 26 facing away from the recess 22, so that the leg 8 lies in touching contact with an edge of the contact slot 27.

A fastening plate 28, to which the base 21 is fastened, extends parallel to the contact plate 26. In the inserted state, the free end of the shield contact tongues 3 lies in a clearance space between the fastening plate 28 and the contact plate 26. <b> List of reference signs </b> 1 Contact element 25th Contact elements 2 Contact carrier 26th Contact plate 3 Shield contact tongue 27 Contact slots 4th Contact spring 28 Mounting plate 5 Bending edge 6th leg A. Connector axis 7th Vertex line 8th leg 9 window 10 Coding nose 11 Coding nose 12th Coding nose 13th Coding nose 14th Recess 15th annular rim 16 cable 17th Handle 18th floor 20th Mating connector 21 base 22nd Recess 23 Wall 24 Coding recesses

Claims (7)

1. Plug comprising a contact carrier (2) which can be connected or is connected to a core of a cable (16) and which supports contact elements (1) extending in the direction of a plug axis (A), and comprising a shield contact arrangement which forms separate shield contact tongues (3) formed by a sheet metal strip, which shield contact tongues extend on a first circular arc line about the plug axis (A) and in the direction of the plug axis (A) and can be connected or are connected to a cable shield, the shield contact tongues (3) having contact springs (4) which point radially outwards in an end portion lying in front of the contact elements (1) and the contact carrier (2) in the direction of the plug axis (A), characterised in that the contact springs (4) are cut free from the shield contact tongues (3), forming an annularly enclosed window (9) in each case, such that said springs are fastened to the shield contact tongue (3) at a bending edge (5), which extends transversely to the plug axis (A) and is associated with the free end of the shield contact tongue (3), and form two legs (6, 8) which are interconnected at an apex line (7), the apex lines (7) extending on a common second circular arc line about the plug axis (A), which is radially outside the first circular arc line.
2. Plug according to claim 1, characterised in that the shield contact tongues (3) are curved along the first circular arc line.
3. Plug according to either of the preceding claims, characterised in that the contact elements (1) protrude from a bottom (18) of a recess (14) in the contact carrier (2) into the recess (14).
4. Plug according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that coding projections (10, 11, 12, 13) extend between adjacent shield contact tongues (3).
5. Plug according to any of the preceding claims, characterised by a rear handle (17) extending substantially in the direction of the plug axis (A).
6. Plug according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the cable (16) emerges from the plug at an acute angle to the plug axis (A).
7. Plug assembly comprising a plug according to any of the preceding claims 3 to 6 and a mating plug (20) which has a base (21) which projects into a second recess (22) formed by a wall (23) of the mating plug (20) and can be inserted into the first recess (14) of the contact carrier (2), wherein a contact plate (26) surrounding the base (21) forms contact slots (27) into which the shield contact tongues (3) enter such that the legs (8) pointing away from the free end of the shield contact tongues (3) engage behind the contact plate (26).

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