EP3718176A1

EP3718176A1 - Lockable and releasable plug

Info

Publication number: EP3718176A1
Application number: EP18815509.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sergej Hämmerling
Original assignee: Harting Electronics GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Harting Electronics GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2017-11-27
Filing date: 2018-11-14
Publication date: 2020-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 2038-11-14
Also published as: KR102468665B1; CN111386634A; US20200343670A1; CN111386634B; WO2019101269A1; KR20200083613A; EP3718176B1; DE102017127991A1; DE102017127991B4; US10978830B2

Abstract

The aim of the invention is to achieve a compact design. This aim is achieved by a push-pull latching system for a rectangular plug, in which push-pull latching system at least one locking and releasing element (11) is held against a broad side of a plug housing in such away that said locking and releasing element can be moved parallel to said broad side of the plug housing (1). For this purpose, the locking and releasing element (11) can be formed integrally with the plug housing (1) from an elastic plastic and can have a plurality of locking arms (111) having locking hooks (113). The movement necessary for releasing is then inversely proportional to the number of locking arms (111); the elasticity is also determined by the shape of the locking arms, in particular the width of the locking arms.

Description

Lockable and unlockable connector

description

The invention relates to a lockable and unlockable connector according to the preamble of the independent claim 1.

Such lockable and unlockable connectors can be separated from a mating connector with little manual effort and therefore have a high ease of use.

State of the art

In the prior art so-called "push-pull" connectors are well known to those skilled in the art. The operating concept is usually to pull a sleeve of the connector away from the mating connector for unlocking, so that both the operation of the

Unlocking device as well as the separation of the plug from

Mating connector in a single direction of movement and so done with a single hand movement. Usually, the mating connector has a mounting housing and may e.g. be attached to a housing wall, so that this process is usually carried out with a single hand.

The document EP 1 841 016 B1 discloses a metallic

Connectors for use in harsh and damp industrial environments. This has a rectangular shaped connector housing, z. B. a zinc injection-molded connector housing, which is on the one hand comprises a corresponding unlocking sleeve, and in which on the other hand a plug insert is fixed. The connector housing is provided with an unlocking sleeve and has a locking device, which during the mating process a lock with a

Mating connector causes. When retracting the Entriegelungshülse provided for the locking locking hooks Locking device "outwards" levered out of Verrastungsausnehmungen on the mating connector.

A disadvantage of this prior art is that such a mechanism significantly increases the size of the connector housing of a connector, so that known push-pull connector by this mechanism for many applications have too large a cross-section.

The German Patent and Trademark Office has in the priority application for the present application, the following prior art research: DE 10 2013 222 41 1 A1 and DE 197 14 459 A1.

task

The object of the invention is to provide a push-pull latch, which has the smallest possible space requirement and still ensures a sufficiently high holding power in the locked state.

This task is governed by the subject matter of the independent

Claims solved.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

The lockable and unlockable connector has the following:

A connector housing with several sides, each having a flat shape,

a plug insert which is fixed in the connector housing or at least fixable, and

an unlocking sleeve, which surrounds the connector housing and displaceable against the insertion direction

is held, as well at least one locking and unlocking element, which between a first side of the connector housing and the

Unlocking sleeve is arranged, the United and

Unlocking element held on the connector housing and at least partially parallel to this first side is movable.

This is particularly advantageous, because thus a lock with high holding power and at the same time a small footprint is possible.

Preferably, the connector housing may be square or rectangular shaped in cross-section and may preferably be four sides,

in particular two broad sides and two narrow sides, have, of which in each case two equal sides are parallel.

Accordingly, the unlocking sleeve may have a rectangular or square in cross-section shape.

Advantageously, the locking and unlocking element is at least partially formed of a resilient material, thereby to ensure its said mobility. This is for cost-effective production of particular advantage, in particular, when the locking and unlocking element is partially fixed to the connector housing and in particular even integral with it. On the locking element a plurality of latching hooks can be arranged, in particular be formed.

Preferably, the locking element may have a plurality of latching arms, each latching arm having a first, namely a fixed, and a second, namely a movable, end and wherein each latching arm is fastened with its first (fixed) end to the connector housing and wherein the second (movable) end of the latching arm is movable parallel to said side.

In an advantageous embodiment, the latching arms between their first and second end connected to each other via at least one transverse strut and thereby be movable together. As a result, the locking element advantageously also requires only a single engagement or engagement device, which serves to cooperate with the Entriegelungshülse in their displacement against the insertion direction to the complete locking element, i. in particular, its latching arms to move together in one direction.

In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of latching arms are mutually oppositely movably held on the connector housing. This variant is particularly space-saving and therefore particularly advantageous for small designs. Regardless, this variant also has the advantage that, in particular, the forces occurring during unlocking and / or locking are distributed symmetrically over the connector housing and / or the unlocking sleeve.

If the locking element has exactly two locking arms, these two locking arms can advantageously from opposite

Lock out directions on a single common locking pin.

In a further embodiment, the locking element may have an even number of locking arms, which preferably engage in pairs on a plurality or even on a respective common locking pin of the mating connector.

At each latching arm, a latching hook can be integrally formed for latching with the respective latching pin of the mating connector. Advantageously, the latching hook can be formed in each case at the second end of the associated latching arm, as at this point the

Mobility is greatest. Each latching hook may have for locking to the respective locking pin of the mating connector a counter to the insertion direction aligned locking surface. In the locked state, this results between each

Latch hook and the associated locking pin a common

Contact area. The sum of all contact surfaces yields one

Total contact surface, which contributes to the holding force of the lock. However, the deflection that each latching arm must experience in order to contribute to the unlocking is dependent solely on the size of its individual contact surface, which is naturally lower than that

Total contact area. However, this small deflection corresponds to the necessary for unlocking deflection of the entire supply and

Unlocking. Advantageously, the necessary deflection, in particular deformation, of the locking and unlocking element is inversely proportional to the number of latching hooks. This is particularly advantageous because it allows a locking device with a high holding force, in which at the same time only a slight movement, in particular deformation, is required for locking and unlocking. The resulting restoring spring force may be designed by the shape of the latching arms, e.g. be regulated by their width, as well as by the elasticity of the material.

In a preferred embodiment, at least one latching hook may have a sliding bevel or Aufgleitrundung for sliding onto the respective locking pin of the mating connector. Alternatively or additionally, the locking pin may have a Aufgleitschräge or Aufgleitrundung. Advantageously, the latching hook tapers through the Sliding slope or Aufgleitrundung to the second end of the locking arm out.

Furthermore, it is particularly advantageous if the latching arms are mechanically connected to one another, in particular between their respective first and second ends, for example by means of a transverse strut. After all, they can be moved together in this way.

Advantageously, therefore, only one input or attack device for the entire locking element is necessary to the said

To ensure interaction with the release sleeve.

After all, this interaction serves to make that happen

To move locking element, in particular to deform so as to separate the locking surfaces of the latching hooks of the / the locking pin of the mating connector.

In an advantageous embodiment, the engagement or engagement device may consist in a molding of the locking element. In particular, the Anformung may have an attack slope, which cooperates, for example, with an unlocking the unlocking sleeve. Of course, conversely, the unlocking sleeve an attack slope and the locking element have an unlocking pin.

In an advantageous embodiment, the latching arms may be formed at its first end to a mounting base of the connector housing. This has the advantage that the connector is simple and therefore inexpensive to produce.

In particular, the latching arms and the mounting base can be made in one piece with the connector housing as a plastic part and can be produced for example in an injection molding process. The connector housing can be used together with the

Locking element or the locking elements may be formed as a one-piece injection molded part. Advantageously, it consists of a plastic, on the one hand the connector housing the necessary

Gives strength, and on the other hand allows the locking arms with appropriate geometry sufficient spring elastic properties.

Such a material may for example consist of glass fibers reinforced PBT ("polybutylene terephthalate"). In particular, the so-called "PBT 33" can be used as a material for the connector housing with the molded locking element, ie

Polybutylene terephthalate with 33% glass fibers. In an extremely advantageous embodiment, the connector has at least two locking elements, which are arranged on two mutually parallel opposite sides of the connector housing. Thus, the connector is lockable on two opposite sides with the mating connector. Of course, then also has the unlocking sleeve on two corresponding, mutually parallel opposite side walls inside corresponding unlocking means, for example unlocking pin.

embodiment

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail below. Show it:

1 a shows a connector housing with a locking element; Figure 1 b is an unlocking sleeve.

Fig. 1 c is a mating connector housing; 2a shows a system of plug connector and mating connector in a first embodiment; 2b shows a system of plug connector and mating connector in a second embodiment;

The figures contain partially simplified, schematic representations. In part, for the same, but possibly not identical

Elements identical reference numerals used. Different views of the same elements could be scaled differently.

Fig. 1 shows a connector housing 1 with a

Unlocking element 1 1 in a first embodiment. On the cable connection side, a cable insertion region 17 with a thread 18 of a cable gland 19 is formed on the connector housing 1, which is in the

Shown below in FIG. 2b and designated.

Subsequently, the connector housing 1 has a

Mounting base 1 12. The connector housing 1 has a rectangular cross-section and has four mutually perpendicular and / or parallel sides, namely two broad sides and two narrow sides, which are not provided with reference numerals for reasons of clarity. Here are the two broadsides and the two

Narrow sides facing each other in parallel. At the two opposite broad sides, a respective locking element 1 1 is arranged. In this view, however, is only one of the two

Locking elements 1 1 to see because the opposite

Broadside is covered by the connector housing 1.

The connector housing 1 has three latching arms 1 11, which are integrally formed with a first end to the mounting base 1 12 and with their have second end in the plugging direction. At its first end, the latching arms 1 1 1 are thus secured to the connector housing 1 and held by their elasticity parallel to the respective broad side movable. At a second, movable end of the locking arms have latching hooks 1 13. The latching hooks 1 13 have opposite to the direction of insertion in each case one

Detent surface 1 14. In the insertion direction, the locking hooks 1 13 each have a Aufgleitrundung 1 15.

Furthermore, the latching arms 1 11 of the locking and unlocking device are connected to each other by a common cross strut 1 16. As a result, they can be moved together parallel to the corresponding side wall.

At its two opposite narrow sides, the connector housing has 1 guide webs 14 for guiding the im

Next described Entriegelungshülse 2. Furthermore, the connector housing 1 on each narrow side a locking lug 15. This prevents the once clicked on it

Unlocking sleeve 2 is disconnected from the connector housing 1.

To the locking element 11, an engagement device 1 17 is formed. This is intended with a

Unlocking pin 227 of the release sleeve 2 to unlock to work together.

This has a rectangular cross-section and thus four perpendicular and / or mutually parallel side walls, namely two narrow and two wide side walls, each facing parallel to each other. Out

For clarity, the side walls are not provided with reference numerals. On the two wide side walls has the Entriegelungshülse 2 each have a release pin 217, the Entriegelungsschräge for cooperation with the

Engagement device 1 17 of the connector housing 1 has. Due to the perspective, however, only the inside of one of these two

Side walls and thus only one release pin 217 visible in the drawing. On the two narrow side walls are

Guides 24 formed, which also only an inner side of these two side walls and thus only a guide groove 24 is visible due to the perspective. The two guide grooves 24 are adapted to cooperate with the guide webs 14 of the connector housing 1 to hold the unlocking sleeve 2 displaceable in the insertion direction on the connector housing 1.

Furthermore, the unlocking sleeve 2 has a Betätigungsanformung 28 for manual operation.

Fig. 1 c shows a housing of a mating connector, i. on

Mating connector housing 3. This mating connector housing 3 has a peripheral housing frame 31 whose shape with the

Connector housing 1 corresponds. At right angles to the mating connector housing 3 has a mounting flange 312 with

Schraubbohrungen, whereby the mating connector housing 3, for example, suitable for installation in a housing wall of an electrical device. The housing frame 31 has two long mutually opposite frame sides and two perpendicular thereto arranged short opposing frame sides, which are not provided with reference numerals for reasons of clarity. At the two long ones

Frame sides, the mating connector housing 3 each two

Locking pin 313 on.

Fig. 2a shows a system consisting of the

Connector housing 1 with the movable in the insertion direction held unlocking sleeve 2 and the mating connector housing. 3

In this case, to illustrate the mechanical interaction of these components 1, 2, 3, a wide side wall of the Entriegelungshülse 2 hidden, i. In the drawing, only the unlocking pin 217 arranged therein can be seen. This unlocking pin 217 is connected via a slope with the engagement device 1 17 of the United and

Unlocking element 1 1 in mechanical contact.

It can easily be seen that by pulling the sleeve 2 for

Cable gland, d. H. away from the mating connector so counter to the direction of insertion, the release pin 217 acting on the engagement device such that the latching hooks 1 13 of the

Locking pin 313 are separated. Furthermore, it is clear that the necessary deformation takes place parallel to the broad side and is extremely low, since it corresponds only to the size of the individual locking surface 114. The entire locking surface of the locking and unlocking element 1 1, however, results from the sum of the associated individual locking surfaces 1 14, in this case is three times as large as each locking surface 1 14, since the locking and unlocking in this example, three locking hooks 1 13 owns. As a result, this design is extremely compact. Furthermore, the necessary deformation is very low, which allows a one-piece design of the connector housing 1 with the locking and unlocking element 1 1. The supply and

Entriegelungselement 1 1 is between a broad side of the

Connector housing 1 and a wide side wall of

Release sleeve 2 is arranged and moves in the locking and unlocking parallel to it. As already mentioned, the

Latch hooks 113 Aufgleitrundungen with which they slip when mating the connector housing 1 with the mating connector housing 3 on the locking pin 313 to lock it in the inserted state. In an alternative or supplementary embodiment, the locking pins 313 may also have corresponding Aufgleitrundungen, to achieve the same effect.

At the opposite side, not shown, this system has just such a mechanism.

In Fig. 2b, a further embodiment of the invention is shown. In this variant, the latching arms 11 1 ^' move the United and

Entriegelungselements 1 1 ^' when locking and unlocking opposite to each other, ie towards each other or away from each other. This variant is on the one hand particularly space-saving and therefore particularly advantageous for small designs. Regardless of this variant has the further advantage that in particular the forces occurring during unlocking and / or locking particularly evenly over the

Distribute the connector housing 1 and the release sleeve 2.

When attaching to the mating connector housing 3, the two locking arms 1 1 1 ^' both by Aufgleitrundungen their locking hooks 1 13 ^' and by the Aufgleitrundungen the common

Locking pin 313 ^' pressed apart, then to lock it in the plugged state.

To unlock the unlocking sleeve 2 has at its wide

Sidewall two release pins 217 ^' for cooperation with a respective engagement device 1 17 ^' , which at each of the two

Locking arms 1 1 1 ^'is arranged. When unlocking the

Entriegelungshülse 2 from the mating connector housing 3 away - ie opposite to the direction of insertion - pulled. As a result, the two latching arms 1 1 1 ^' from their respective engagement devices 1 17 ^' pulled apart. Their detent hooks 113 ^' detent from the common locking pin 313 ^{' of} the mating connector housing 3. Thus, the connector housing 1 is unlocked from the mating connector housing 3 and can be removed. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the

Entriegelungshülse 2 additionally a further unlocking pin 217 ^" on, which engages between two locking arms 1 1 1 ^' and these two

Locking arms 1 1 1 ^' additionally pulls apart when pulling the release sleeve 2.

Thus, the two latching arms 1 11 ^' when unlocking both of the two unlocking pins 217 ^{' of} the unlocking sleeve. 2

pulled apart as well from the other

Unlatching pins 217 ^" apart, although one of the two variants is sufficient for the functionality and, although shown together in the drawing, is understood to be disclosed separately by those skilled in the art, even though various aspects or features of the invention are shown in combination in the figures, unless otherwise indicated, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the combinations illustrated and discussed are not the only ones possible, and in particular, corresponding units or feature complexes from different embodiments may be interchanged.

Lockable and unlockable connector

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 connector housing

1 1, 1 1 locking and unlocking m, n r locking arms

1 12 mounting base

113, 1 13 ^' locking hook

114 locking surface

115 Aufgleitrundung

116 cross strut

117, 1 17 ^' intervention device

13 cable gland

14 guide bars

15 latch

17 cable entry area

18 threads

2 unlocking sleeve

217, 217 ^' unlocking pin

217 ^" further release pin

24 guide grooves

28 Betätigungsanformung

3 mating connector housing

31 case frame

312 mounting flange

313, 313 ^' locking pin

Claims

Lockable and unlockable connector claims

1. Lockable and unlockable connector, comprising

a connector housing (1) with several sides, each having a flat shape,

a plug insert which is fixed in the connector housing (1) or at least fixable, and

an unlocking sleeve (2) which the

Connector housing (1) engages around and is slidably held against the insertion direction, and at least one locking and unlocking element (11, 11 ^' ) which is disposed between a first side of the connector housing (1) and the unlocking sleeve (2), characterized in that

the locking and unlocking element (11, 11 ^' ) on the

Connector housing (1) held and at least partially movable parallel to this first side.

2. Lockable and unlockable connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking and unlocking element (11,11 ^' ) is at least partially formed of a resilient material, thereby ensuring its mobility.

3. Lockable and unlockable connector according to one of

preceding claims, characterized in that the locking element (11, 11 ^' ) has a plurality of latching arms (111, 111 ^' ), wherein each latching arm (111, 111 ^' ) has a first and a second end and wherein each latching arm (111, 111 ^' ) is fixed with its first end to the connector housing (1) and wherein the second end of the latching arm (111, 111 ^' ) parallel to said side of the connector housing (1) is movable.

4. lockable and unlockable connector according to claim 3, characterized in that the latching arms (111) between their first and second end connected to each other via at least one transverse strut (116) and thereby are movable together.

5. lockable and unlockable connector according to claim 3, characterized in that the latching arms (111 ^' ) to each other

oppositely movable on the connector housing (1) are held.

6. lockable and unlockable connector according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that at each latching arm (111, 111 ^' ) a latching hook (113,113 ^' ) for latching with a

Locking pin (313, 313 ^' ) of a mating connector housing (3) is integrally formed.

7. lockable and unlockable connector according to claim 6, characterized in that the latching hook (113,113 ^' ) in each case at the second end of the associated latching arm (111,111 ^' ) is integrally formed.

8. lockable and unlockable connector according to one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that each latching hook (113, 113) at right angles to the latching arm (111,111 ^' ) against the

Plug-in direction aligned locking surface (115) has.

9. lockable and unlockable connector according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that at least one latching hook

(113,113 ^' ) a Aufgleitschräge or Aufgleitrundung for sliding on the respective locking pin (313, 313 ^' ) of the Mating connector housing (3), whereby it tapers to its second end.

10. lockable and unlockable connector according to one of claims 3 to 9, characterized in that the latching arms (1 11, 1 1 G) at its first end to a mounting base of

Connector housing (1) are formed.

1 1. Lockable and unlockable connector according to one of claims 3 to 10, characterized in that the latching arms (1 11, 1 1 G) and the mounting base together with the

Connector housing (1) are made in one piece as a plastic part.

12. Lockable and unlockable connector according to one of

preceding claims, characterized in that on the locking element (1 1, 1 1 ^' ) at least one input or

Attacking device (1 17, 1 17 ^' ) is arranged with the

Entriegelungshülse (2) cooperates in their displacement against the direction of insertion to the locking element (11,

1 G).

13. lockable and unlockable connector according to claim 12, characterized in that the engagement or attack device (1 17, 1 17 ^' ) in a Anformung of the locking element (1 1, 1 1 ^' ), wherein the Anformung has an attack slope, which cooperates with an unlocking pin (217, 217 ^' , 217 ^" ) of the unlocking sleeve (2).

14. Lockable and unlockable connector according to one of

preceding claims, characterized in that the connector has at least two locking elements (1 1, 1 1 ^' ) has, which are arranged on two mutually parallel opposite sides of the connector housing (1).

15. Lockable and unlockable connector according to one of

preceding claims, characterized in that the

Connector housing (1) together with the

Locking element (1 1, 1 1 ^' ) or the locking elements (1 1, 1 G) is formed as a one-piece injection molded part.

16. lockable and unlockable connector according to claim 15, wherein the

Connector housing (1) at least partially by

Glass fiber reinforced PBT ("polybutylene terephthalate") consists.