EP3628450A1 - Safety device for mechanically securing at least one terminal on a housing - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a securing device (1) for mechanically securing at least one connector plug (2a, 2b) to a housing (3), in particular to a housing (3) of a head module (80) of a modular control device (90)
a bow-shaped base body (4) which is designed such that it can be pushed laterally onto the housing (3),
- Means for fixing the base body (4) on the housing (3),
- At least one receiving section (13, 14), which is formed on the base body (4) and is designed to receive the connector (2a, 2b), and
- A number of band-shaped, tightenable securing means (40, 41, 42, 43), which are designed to connect the connector (2a, 2b) to the base body (4) and / or the base body (4) to the housing (3) to back up.

Description

The present invention relates to a securing device for mechanically securing at least one connector plug on a housing.

Control devices, in particular safety control devices, for controlling a machine or technical system are known from the prior art, which have a modular structure. With these modular control devices, for example, different control modules in different performance classes, digital or analog, safe or non-safe input and output modules as well as network modules can be individually combined with one another in order to provide the control device with the desired control functions. These modular control devices often have a so-called head module, which has connection interfaces for connecting one or more connector plugs. In particular, these can be so-called M12 connectors. For example, in order to avoid unintentional loosening of the plug connection when vibrations occur, it has proven to be expedient to provide appropriate security measures which can effectively prevent unintentional loosening of the plug connection. When used in safety-critical areas, measures are also required to prevent tampering with the electrical connector.

The object of the present invention is to provide a securing device for mechanically securing at least one connector plug on a housing creates a safe vibration and / or manipulation protection of the electrical connector in a simple manner.

A safety device with the features of claim 1 provides the solution to this problem. The subclaims relate to advantageous developments of the invention.

• einen bügelartig geformten Grundkörper, der so ausgebildet ist, dass er seitlich auf das Gehäuse aufschiebbar und an diesem festlegbar ist,
• zumindest einen Aufnahmeabschnitt, der an dem Grundkörper ausgebildet ist und zur Aufnahme des Anschlusssteckers ausgebildet ist, sowie
• eine Anzahl bandförmiger, festziehbarer Sicherungsmittel, die dazu ausgebildet sind, den Anschlussstecker an dem Grundkörper und/oder den Grundkörper an dem Gehäuse zu sichern.

A securing device according to the invention for mechanically securing at least one connector plug to a housing, in particular to a housing of a head module of a modular control device, comprises

• a bow-shaped base body which is designed such that it can be pushed laterally onto the housing and fixed to it,
• at least one receiving section, which is formed on the base body and is designed to receive the connector, and
• a number of band-shaped, tightenable securing means, which are designed to secure the connector on the base body and / or the base body on the housing.

With the help of the securing device according to the invention, effective protection against vibration and / or manipulation of the electrical plug connection, which comprises the connecting plug, is achieved in a simple manner by the connecting plug being suitably attached to the base body of the securing device by means of at least one of the band-shaped, tightenable securing means, which preferably is made in one piece from plastic. In addition, mechanical loads on solder joints within the housing, which are subjected to the force of the connector plug due to vibrations, can thereby be effectively reduced. Depending on their positioning The securing means can also provide tamper protection for the connector by preventing the connector from being unscrewed or removed. By means of appropriate positioning, the securing means can also prevent the base body of the securing device from being removed from the housing, so that effective protection against manipulation and loss for the securing device itself results. The band-shaped, tightenable securing means can be designed, for example, as cable ties. Other configurations of the band-shaped securing means, which can optionally also be sealed after assembly, are also possible in principle. The securing device is particularly suitable for the mechanical securing of one or more connecting plugs which are connected to a head module of a modularly designed control device, in particular a modularly designed safety control device. The securing device can be a component that is already preassembled by the manufacturer or a retrofit part. The fuse device according to the invention is particularly suitable for securing M12 connectors, which can be straight or angled. In addition, other straight or angled connector types can also be secured using the securing device. The securing device can preferably be designed in such a way that the insertion and / or locking of a connector can be prevented by sealing or tightening at least one of the band-shaped securing means if no connector is to be connected. This also creates protection against manipulation.

In order to be able to effectively absorb forces, in particular vibration-induced, acting on the connector, in An advantageous embodiment proposed that the receiving section is partially cylindrical and has a contact surface for the connector. The connector can preferably be secured directly to the receiving section by means of one of the band-shaped, tightenable securing means.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, it is possible for the contact surface to have tolerance-compensating shapes and / or structures which are preferably designed to be elastically deformable. In addition to improved vibration damping, this also creates the possibility, in particular, of compensating for any differences in diameter of different connecting plugs.

In order to achieve a particularly secure hold of at least one of the band-shaped securing means on the receiving section, it can be provided in a preferred embodiment that the receiving section has a collar portion at one free end, which is partially annular and preferably comprises an undercut. This collar section enables the at least one band-shaped securing means to be securely attached to the receiving section.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, there is the possibility that the base body has two holding rails which extend parallel to one another and are spaced apart from one another in such a way that they can be pushed laterally onto the housing during assembly. As a result, the securing device, in particular on the housing of a head module of a control device, can be mounted very simply and intuitively. Furthermore, a simple pre-fixing of the securing device to the housing is made possible in this way. Preferably The retaining rails can be shaped such that projections formed on a front side of the housing and extending outward in the opposite direction engage, preferably in a form-fitting manner, the retaining rails when the securing device is installed.

In order to protect, for example, a safety device already preassembled on the housing by the manufacturer from a loss, it can be provided in an advantageous further development that the base body has an elastically pivotable latching pawl which is designed such that it is in a latching recess in a mounting recess of the safety device in a Engages front of the housing.

An alternative or additional variant of the loss protection for the securing device provides that the base body has, on its outside facing away from the housing during assembly, a stop surface which interacts with a band-shaped securing means received in a receiving eye in the side wall of the housing and tightened therein.

In an advantageous development, it is proposed that the base body has at least one holding web which, after the mounting of the base body, extends at a distance from the front of the housing and on which at least one of the band-shaped, tightenable securing means can be fixed, the holding web preferably having a bottom surface has an anti-slip, in particular corrugated structure. One of the band-shaped securing means, which also extends in sections around the connector after the assembly, can be attached to this retaining web. The anti-slip, in particular corrugated structure on the The underside of the holding web can effectively prevent the band-shaped securing means tightened on this from slipping.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the base body can have a side wall with at least one receptacle, the receptacle being designed to receive a connecting cable of the connecting plug and to secure it therein by means of one of the band-shaped, tightenable securing means. This measure makes it possible, for example, to fix a connecting cable, which is connected to an angled connecting plug, to the base body. Preferably, the receptacle can be V-shaped or U-shaped and each comprise two legs, each of which has an opening. The connection cable of an angled electrical connector can be received in this V-shaped or U-shaped receptacle. Then one of the band-shaped securing means, in particular a cable tie, is passed through the openings of the two legs of the V-shaped or U-shaped receptacle and passed around the connecting cable and then tightened. This measure provides effective tamper protection for the connecting cable of the relevant connector.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Sicherungseinrichtung zur mechanischen Sicherung zumindest eines Anschlusssteckers an einem Gehäuse eines Kopfmoduls einer Steuerungseinrichtung, die gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung ausgeführt ist,

Fig. 2

eine weitere perspektivische Ansicht der Sicherungseinrichtung,

Fig. 3

eine weitere perspektivische Darstellung der Sicherungseinrichtung,

Fig. 4

eine Schnittdarstellung der Sicherungseinrichtung,

Fig. 5

eine Vorderansicht des Teils der Sicherungseinrichtung gemäß Fig. 4,

Fig. 6

eine Schnittdarstellung nach der Montage der Sicherungseinrichtung an dem Gehäuse,

Fig. 7

eine weitere Schnittdarstellung nach der Montage der Sicherungseinrichtung an dem Gehäuse,

Fig. 8

eine Einzelheit, welche die Verrastung der Sicherungseinrichtung an dem Gehäuse veranschaulicht,

Fig. 9a

eine perspektivische Ansicht, die die Montage der Sicherungseinrichtung an dem Gehäuse des Kopfmoduls veranschaulicht,

Fig. 9b

eine vergrößerte Darstellung, die Einzelheiten der Montage der Sicherungseinrichtung zeigt,

Fig. 10

eine perspektivische Ansicht der Steuerungseinrichtung nach der Montage der Sicherungseinrichtung an dem Gehäuse des Kopfmoduls,

Fig. 11

eine perspektivische Ansicht der Steuerungseinrichtung mit zwei mechanisch an dem Gehäuse gesicherten Anschlusssteckern,

Fig. 12

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Gehäuses und einer an dem Gehäuse montierten Sicherungseinrichtung gemäß einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel,

Fig, 13

eine Unteransicht der Sicherungseinrichtung gemäß Fig. 12.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. In it show:

Fig. 1

2 shows a perspective view of a securing device for mechanically securing at least one connector plug on a housing of a head module of a control device, which is designed according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention,

Fig. 2

another perspective view of the securing device,

Fig. 3

another perspective view of the securing device,

Fig. 4

2 shows a sectional illustration of the securing device,

Fig. 5

a front view of the part of the safety device according to Fig. 4 ,

Fig. 6

2 shows a sectional illustration after the securing device has been installed on the housing,

Fig. 7

another sectional view after mounting the securing device on the housing,

Fig. 8

a detail which illustrates the locking of the securing device on the housing,

Fig. 9a

1 shows a perspective view which illustrates the mounting of the securing device on the housing of the head module,

Fig. 9b

an enlarged view showing details of the assembly of the security device,

Fig. 10

2 shows a perspective view of the control device after the securing device has been installed on the housing of the head module,

Fig. 11

2 shows a perspective view of the control device with two connecting plugs mechanically secured to the housing,

Fig. 12

2 shows a perspective view of a housing and a securing device mounted on the housing according to a second exemplary embodiment,

Fig. 13

a bottom view of the security device according to Fig. 12 .

With reference to 1 to 11 A first exemplary embodiment of a securing device 1 for mechanically securing at least one connector plug 2a, 2b to a housing 3 will be explained in more detail below. In the present case, the housing 3 is a housing 3 of a head module 80 of a modular control device 90, in particular a safety control device, which is designed to control a machine or technical system.

The securing device 1 has a bow-shaped base body 4 made of plastic, which in the present case is formed in one piece and can be pushed laterally onto the housing 3 of the head module 80 during assembly and can be fixed thereon. The base body 4 comprises a connecting cross member 5, which can be brought into contact with the assembly on a side wall 30 of the housing 3. Like for example in Fig. 1 to recognize, the base body 4 also has two holding rails 6, 7, which extend orthogonally from the connecting cross member 5. The two holding rails 6, 7 are spaced apart from one another due to the length of the connecting cross member 5 such that they can be pushed laterally onto the housing 3 during assembly. The housing 3 has on its front side 31 a plurality of projections 32, 33 which extend outward in the opposite direction and which engage in the mutually opposite holding rails 6, 7 of the base body 4 during the assembly of the securing device 1, thereby pre-fixing the securing device 1 to allow on the housing 3. Details of the mounting of the securing device 1 on the housing 3 are in particular in 9a and 9b to recognize.

The base body 4 also has two retaining webs 9, 10 which are shaped and spaced apart from the connecting cross member 5 such that they extend at a distance from the front side 31 of the housing 3 after assembly. The two holding webs 9, 10 each have on their underside a non-slip structure 11, 12 which is designed to be corrugated in the present case and have a double function. On the one hand, they are provided for stiffening the securing device 1 and, on the other hand, they also serve the purpose of attaching a band-shaped, tightenable securing means 40, which can be designed in particular as a cable tie.

In this exemplary embodiment, two partially cylindrical shaped receiving sections 13, 14 are also formed on the base body 4, each of which forms a contact surface 130, 140 for a connecting plug 2a, 2b. In this exemplary embodiment, each of the two receiving sections 13, 14 has a collar section 15, 16 at a free end, which is part-ring-shaped and preferably comprises an undercut. The contact surfaces 130, 140 can preferably have tolerance-compensating shapes and / or structures, which are preferably designed to be elastically deformable, in order to improve the vibration damping and to be able to compensate for possible differences in diameter of the electrical connecting plugs 2a, 2b. On a side wall 52 of the base body 4, two V-shaped receptacles 50, 51, each with two legs, each having an opening, are formed. A connection cable 20 of an angled electrical connector 2b can be received in these V-shaped receptacles 50, 51.

With reference to 3 to 5 On its outside facing away from the housing 3 in the intended mounting position, the base body 4 has a stop surface 17 and an elastically pivotable latching pawl 18, on which a latching projection 180 is formed. The pivot direction of the pawl 18 was in Fig. 5 symbolized by a corresponding arrow. The stop surface 17 and the locking pawl 18 represent two fundamentally independent constructive measures to protect the securing device 1 against accidental loss after preassembly on the housing 3 of the head module 80, which can be done by the manufacturer, for example. The stop surface 17 and the latching pawl 18 can be combined with one another depending on the structural design and shape of the base body 4, and their number and position can also be varied.

Further details of the loss protection implemented by means of the stop surface 17 and the latch 18 are explained in more detail below.

As in Fig. 6 To recognize, the housing 30 has on its front side 31 an inlet slope 34, which is designed so that the latching projection 180 of the latch 18 can slide along the inlet slope 34 during assembly, so that the latch 18 deforms elastically and into the in Fig. 5 direction symbolized by the arrow is pivoted. The housing 3 also has on its front side 31 a latching recess 35 into which the latching projection 180 of the latching pawl 18 engages after the securing device 1 has been pushed onto the housing 3 in the desired mounting position. Details of the locking pawl 18 with its locking projection 180 and the locking recess 35 of the housing 3 are shown in Fig. 8 shown. As in Fig. 7 to recognize, a web 36 is also formed on the front 31 of the housing 3, the functional purpose of which will be explained in more detail below.

With reference to. 9a to 11 Further details of the assembly of the safety device 1 are to be explained in more detail below.

During assembly, the securing device 1 is pushed laterally onto the housing 3 such that the outwardly extending projections 32, 33 on the front 31 of the housing 3 engage in the mutually opposite holding rails 6, 7 of the base body 4 of the securing device 1. When the securing device 1 is pushed open further, the latching projection 180 of the latching pawl 18 finally engages in the latching recess 35 of the housing 3 in the mounting position of the securing device 1. The connecting cross member 5 is in the Target mounting position on the side wall 30 of the housing 3. Furthermore, the contact surfaces 130, 140 of the receiving sections 13, 14 are in the desired mounting position on the electrical connection plugs 2a. 2b on.

In the present case, a first connection plug 2a is designed as a straight plug, in particular as an M12 plug. In contrast, a second connector 2b is designed as an angled connector, in particular as an M12 connector. The securing device 1 is designed such that it can secure two straight connecting plugs 2a, two angled connecting plugs 2b or - as shown in this exemplary embodiment - a straight connecting plug 2a and an angled connecting plug 2b and can thereby provide effective protection against vibration and manipulation . In addition to M12 plugs, other straight or angled connector types can also be secured by means of the securing device 1.

On the side wall 30 of the housing 3, a receiving eye 35 is formed, in which a band-shaped, tightenable securing means 41, in particular a cable tie, is received after the securing device 1 has been attached to the housing 3. The band-shaped securing means 41 is passed through the receiving eye 35 during assembly and then tightened. The stop surface 17 abuts against the securing means 41, which is mounted on the housing 3 in the manner described above, and thereby prevents the securing device 1 from being able to be removed from the housing 3, so that a corresponding protection against loss for the securing device 1 results .

Around the first, in this case, straight connector plug 2a, which plugs into a corresponding connector socket of the housing 3 of the head module 80 is used to mechanically secure, a further band-shaped, tightenable securing means 42 is provided, which is preferably also designed as a cable tie. This securing means 42 is guided around the first receiving section 13 and around the first connector 2a and then tightened, so that appropriate vibration and manipulation protection is created for this first connector 2a in its assembly position. The collar 130 of the first receiving section 13 enables the securing means 42 to be securely fastened.

To secure the second connector 2b, which in this exemplary embodiment is angled and bears against the second receiving section 14 of the base body 4, two band-shaped, tightenable securing means 40, 43 are also used in the present case, which are preferably also designed as cable ties. A first band-shaped, tightenable securing means 40 is guided around the connector 2b and around the second retaining web 10 during assembly and then tightened. The anti-slip, in particular corrugated, structure 12 on the underside of the second retaining web 10 is suitable for effectively preventing the first band-shaped securing means 40 from undesirably slipping after assembly and tightening. A connecting cable 20 connected to the second terminating plug 2b is inserted into the V-shaped receptacle 51. The second band-shaped, tightenable securing means 43 is then passed through the openings of the two legs of the V-shaped receptacle 51, passed around the connecting cable 20 and tightened. These measures mentioned above also provide effective manipulation and vibration protection for the second connector 2b. The web 36 on the front 31 of the housing 3 is shaped and dimensioned so that it is a forms an additional stop which prevents the securing device 1 from being pulled off or released when the first band-shaped securing means 40 for the second connecting plug 2b is mounted. When attempting to pull the securing device 1 from the housing 3, the securing means 40 strikes the web 36, so that the web 36 forms a further protection against loss or manipulation.

The securing device 1 is designed in such a way that the mechanical connection to the housing 3 of the head module 80, which is realized by the holding rails 6, 7, is as far as possible from the electrical connection interfaces in which the connection plugs 2a, 2b are accommodated. It is thereby achieved that the torsional rigidity of the securing device 1 is improved. Furthermore, the connection interfaces and soldering points within the housing 3 are mechanically relieved.

With reference to Fig. 12 and 13 A securing device 200, which is designed according to a second exemplary embodiment, is to be explained in more detail below. The securing device 200, which is set up to secure a connecting plug 2a, 2b, has a one-piece base body 200 made of plastic with a first connecting leg 201 and with a second connecting leg 202, which are spaced apart from one another at their free ends by a space 209.

The two connection legs 201, 202 each have a connection surface with which they rest on a front side 31 of the housing 3 in a desired mounting position. On the connection surface of the first connection leg 201, as in FIG Fig. 13 recognizable - two spaced-apart locking projections 205, 206 formed, which have an inverted T-shaped cross section. Above the two connecting legs 201, 202 two (preferably bendable) securing sections 207, 208 are formed, which are shaped such that they can extend laterally in sections around a connecting plug 2a, 2b of an electrical plug connection.

The housing 3 has a plurality of recesses on its front side 31, in which the two latching projections 205, 206 of the first connecting leg 201 of a securing device 200 can be received in pairs and can be fixed therein by a displacement movement. After mounting on the housing 3, the first connecting leg 201 forms a leg fixed to the housing, whereas the second connecting leg 202 can be moved relative to the first connecting leg 201.

A first, straight connector 2a, which is preferably an M12 connector, is inserted into a corresponding connector, which is formed within the housing 3. During assembly, the second connection leg 202 is spread so far relative to the first connection leg 201 that the connection cable 20 can be passed through the intermediate space 209. The latching projections 205, 206 are then inserted into the associated latching recesses on the front of the housing 3 and moved in such a way that they are fixed in the latching recesses. The latching connections formed by the latching projections 205, 206 and the latching recesses of the housing 3 can preferably be designed such that they can only be released by means of a special tool.

Each of the two connecting legs 201, 202 has two openings 210, 211, 212, 213, which in the present case are shaped like an elongated hole. The two securing sections 207, 208 also have two openings 214, 215, 216, 217. As in Fig. 12 to recognize, a first band-shaped, tightenable securing means 218, in particular a cable tie, is passed through the mutually opposite front openings 210, 212 of the two connecting legs 201, 202 and then tightened. This first band-shaped securing means 218 prevents the securing device 200 from being moved back and forth and, in particular, from being able to be removed from the housing 3. A second band-shaped, tightenable securing means 219, which is preferably also designed as a cable tie, is passed through the rear, opposite openings 215, 217 of the securing sections 207, 208 and around the first connecting plug 2a and then tightened. This second band-shaped securing means 219 forms a vibration protection for the first connecting plug 2a in that it can absorb corresponding forces. Furthermore, the second band-shaped securing means 219 can effectively prevent the first connection plug 2a from being unscrewed or pulled out of the connection socket of the housing 3 of the head module 80.

Fig. 12 also shows the mechanical fuse of a second connector 2b, which in the present case is an angled connector, in particular an M12 connector. A first band-shaped, tightenable securing means 220, in particular a cable tie, is passed through and then tightened through the front, opposite openings 210, 212 of the two connecting legs 201, 202 of the securing device 200 likewise mounted on the housing 3 in the manner described above. This first band-shaped securing means 220 in turn prevents the securing device 200 from being moved back and forth and being released from the housing 3. A second band-shaped, tightenable securing means 221 is passed through the opposing rear openings 211, 213 of the two connecting legs 201, 202, passed around the second connecting plug 2b and then tightened. This creates an effective protection against vibration by absorbing corresponding forces acting on the second connector 2b.

In addition, a third band-shaped, tightenable securing means 223 can optionally be passed through the mutually opposite front openings 214, 216 of the two securing sections 207, 208, guided along an outer side of the second connecting plug 2b and then tightened in order to thereby provide additional protection against manipulation.

Claims (10)

Securing device (1) for mechanically securing at least one connector plug (2a, 2b) to a housing (3), in particular to a housing (3) of a head module (80) of a modular control device (90) a bow-shaped base body (4) which is designed such that it can be pushed laterally onto the housing (3), - Means for fixing the base body (4) on the housing (3), - At least one receiving section (13, 14), which is formed on the base body (4) and is designed to receive the connector (2a, 2b), and - A number of band-shaped, tightenable securing means (40, 41, 42, 43), which are designed to connect the connector (2a, 2b) to the base body (4) and / or the base body (4) to the housing (3) to back up. Safety device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiving section (13, 14) is partially cylindrical and has a contact surface (130, 140) for the connector (2a, 2b). Safety device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the contact surface (130, 140) has tolerance-compensating shapes and / or structures which are preferably designed to be elastically deformable. Safety device (1) according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the receiving section (13, 14) has a collar section (15, 16) at a free end, which is partially annular and preferably comprises an undercut. Safety device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the base body (4) has two holding rails (6, 7) which extend parallel to one another and are spaced apart from one another in such a way that they mount laterally on the housing (3) can be postponed. Securing device (1) according to Claim 5, characterized in that the holding rails (6, 7) are shaped such that projections (32, 33) which are formed on a front side (31) of the housing (3) and extend outwards in the opposite direction. engage in the holding rails (6, 7) when installing the safety device (1). Securing device (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the base body (4) has an elastically pivotable latching pawl (18) which is designed such that it is in a latching recess (35) when the securing device (1) is in the desired mounting position ) engages on a front (31) of the housing (3). Safety device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the base body (4) has on its outside facing away from the housing (3) during assembly a stop surface (17) which is connected to a receiving eye (35) in the side wall (30) of the housing (3) received and tightened therein band-shaped securing means (41) cooperates. Safety device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the base body (4) at least has a retaining web (9, 10) which is spaced from the front (31) of the housing (3) after the assembly of the base body (4) and on which at least one of the band-shaped, tightenable securing means (40, 41, 42, 43) can be fixed, the holding web (9, 10) preferably having a non-slip, in particular corrugated structure (11, 12) on its underside. Safety device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the base body (4) has a side wall (52) with at least one receptacle (50, 51), the receptacle (50, 51) being designed to be a Pick up the connecting cable (20) of the connector (2a, 2b) and secure it in it using one of the band-shaped, tightenable securing means (40, 41, 42, 43).

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