EP3905450A1

EP3905450A1 - Housing assembly comprising a spring-like module retainer

Info

Publication number: EP3905450A1
Application number: EP21171315.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Yehya Ashour; Georg Puckel; S Ramesh; Hartmut Ripper; Armand Kerckhoffs
Original assignee: TE Connectivity Germany GmbH; TE Connectivity India Pvt Ltd
Current assignee: TE Connectivity Germany GmbH; TE Connectivity India Pvt Ltd
Priority date: 2020-04-30
Filing date: 2021-04-29
Publication date: 2021-11-03

Abstract

The invention relates to a housing assembly (67), comprising an outer housing (1) with at least one module receptacle (3) for receiving at least one connector-like terminal module (5) and with a connector face (11) at which the outer housing (1) can be connected with a complementary part (15), and with at least one module retainer (17) for retaining at least one terminal module (5) in the module receptacle (3) in an assembled state (69), wherein the module retainer (17) is adapted to be at least partially insertable into a retainer receptacle (19) of the outer housing (1). In order to secure the position of the terminal module (5) in the module receptacle (3), the at least one module retainer (17) is adapted to spring-load a terminal module (5) in the module receptacle (3) towards the connector face (11) in the assembled state (69).

Description

The invention relates to a housing assembly, in particular for a connector, the housing assembly comprising an outer housing with at least one module receptacle for receiving at least one connector-like terminal module and with a connector face at which the outer housing can be connected with a complementary part, such as a housing or a connector, the housing assembly further comprising at least one module retainer for retaining at least one terminal module in the module receptacle in an assembled state of the housing assembly, wherein the module retainer is adapted to be at least partially insertable into a retainer receptacle of the outer housing.
Housing assemblies of the aforementioned type are known in the art. They can be used for a connector, in particular forming a male or female part of a connector. The terminal module may be preassembled and subsequently inserted into the module receptacle in order to fully assemble the housing assembly. In the case a housing comprises several parts, positioning of these parts with respect to each other is often very difficult due to manufacturing tolerances of the parts. In particular in the case of several parts, the tolerances of each part add up.
It is therefore an object of the invention to facilitate assembling of a housing assembly.
For the housing assembly mentioned above, this object is achieved in that the at least one module retainer is adapted to spring load a terminal module in the module receptacle towards the connector face in the assembled state.
Spring loading the terminal module towards the connector face has several benefits: Firstly, a terminal module may always keep a constant predefined distance from the connector face. Secondly, the module retainer may actively counter a pressure against the terminal module or inserted terminals of the terminal module away from the connector face when the housing assembly is pressed together with a complementary part. The presence of the module retainer may thus prevent gaps between the terminal module and its corresponding counterpart of a mating connector.
The at least one terminal module is "connector-like" in the sense that the terminal module may constitute a connector in and of itself. In other words, the terminal module may be provided with a module body that is provided with terminal receptacles for receiving terminals. The terminal module may be inserted into the module receptacle similar to a connector being inserted into a bushing. In the assembled state of the housing assembly, the terminal receptacles in the terminal module may be accessible at the connector face for connecting the terminals of the terminal module with their corresponding counterparts.
In the following, further improvements of the invention are described. The additional improvements may be combined independently of each other, depending on whether a particular advantage of a particular improvement is needed in a specific application.
According to a first advantageous improvement, the at least one retainer receptacle may be connected with the at least one module receptacle. In other words, both receptacles may be connected by a common open volume. Consequently, a module retainer that is arranged in the retainer receptacle may interact with a terminal module in the module receptacle.
In order to form a retainer receptacle in a simple manner, the outer housing may be provided with at least one opening in a side wall through which the module receptacle and/or the terminal module is accessible from outside of the outer housing. The term side wall may correspond to a wall that extends parallel with a module insertion direction of the terminal module.
Preferably, the terminal module is adapted for being inserted into the module receptacle along a module insertion direction. Said module insertion direction may be parallel with a housing assembly direction of the housing assembly. The module insertion direction may be directed towards the connector face.
The at least one module retainer, or a part of the same, may extend into the module receptacle in the assembled state, preferably perpendicular to the module insertion direction.
In order to facilitate the insertion of the terminal module into the module receptacle, and in order to allow for flexibility in the design of the module retainer, the at least one module retainer is preferably formed as a separate component. In other words, the module retainer is preferably not formed monolithically with the outer housing and/or the terminal module. Of course, such an embodiment does not exclude the module retainer being detachably connected with the outer housing and/or the module receptacle, for example by use of a cord, a strap or other means.
In order to define the position for a terminal module in the assembled state, in particular with respect to the connector face, the outer housing is preferably provided with at least one stop element for stopping a movement of the terminal module in the module insertion direction. Such a stop element may be a protrusion that protrudes into the module receptacle. Another exemplary embodiment of a stop element may be a structure of the outer housing that also forms the connector face, for example a frame or a wall that is provided with openings for terminals from the terminal module to be accessed from outside the housing assembly.
In order to generate a spring force, or, in other words, for spring loading the terminal module towards the connector face, the at least one module retainer is preferably provided with at least one elastically deformable spring member which is adapted to generate the spring force.
According to a preferred embodiment, the at least one spring member is formed as an elastically deflectable lever. Preferably, the elastically deflectable lever extends from a base, wherein the base has a fixed position with respect to the outer housing in the assembled state. Preferably, the lever extends in a direction that has a component that is parallel with the module insertion direction.
In the alternative to the above mentioned lever, the at least one spring member may be formed as a deformable structure, in particular an elastically compressible structure, which is connected to a base at at least two positions, said positions being spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the module insertion direction.
Preferably, the at least one module receptacle is adapted for receiving the at least one terminal module along a module insertion direction, i.e. towards the connector face, and the at least one retainer receptacle is opened to an outside of the outer housing along a retainer insertion direction, wherein the retainer insertion direction differs from the module insertion direction. Preferably, both directions are basically perpendicular to each other. The at least one retainer receptacle is preferably opened to an outside of the outer housing for insertion of the module retainer into the retainer receptacle.
The at least one retainer receptacle is preferably provided with at least one opening in a side wall of the outer housing, a longitudinal direction of the opening being basically parallel with the retainer insertion direction. The at least one opening in the side wall is preferably formed as a slit.
The retainer insertion direction being perpendicular to the module insertion direction may facilitate the insertion of both elements. In particular, inserting the actual retainer into the retainer receptacle when the terminal module is already arranged in the module receptacle will not influence the position of the terminal module along the module insertion direction, except for the spring load exerted on the terminal module towards the connector face.
In order to prevent the module retainer from being unintentionally removed from its final position in the assembled state, the module retainer is preferably provided with at least one locking means for locking the retainer against removal from the outer housing and/or from a terminal module in the assembled state, at least along the retainer insertion direction.
Preferably, the outer housing and/or the terminal module are provided with at least one counter locking means for locking the locking means of the module retainer in the assembled state. Just by way of example, the at least one locking means and/or the at least one counter locking means may each be formed as a protrusion protruding basically parallel to the module insertion direction of the terminal module, i.e. perpendicular to the module retainer insertion direction.
The locking means and/or the counter locking means may latch the module retainer to the outer housing and/or the terminal module. A force may be need to be overcome during insertion of the module retainer into the retainer receptacle in order to lock the complementary locking means with each other.
In case the module retainer is provided with at least one spring member, the at least one locking means may be part of the at least one spring member of the module retainer. Hence, a compact design of the module retainer may be achieved.
In order to facilitate assembling the housing assembly, said housing assembly may be provided with at least one guide system adapted to guide at least a part of the module retainer into the retainer receptacle, in particular along the retainer insertion direction. Preferably, the at least one guide system is further adapted to block a movement of the module retainer in a direction perpendicular to the retainer insertion direction and/or perpendicular to the module insertion direction. Just by way of example, rims of the retainer receptacle, in particular in a side wall of the outer housing, may form rails for the guide system. Preferably, the at least one module retainer is provided with complementary means that can slide along said rails.
In order to form a compact module retainer with a simple design, the at least one module retainer is provided with at least one leg for being inserted into the retainer receptacle, in particular between the outer housing and the terminal module. Preferably, the at least one leg is provided with at least one spring member and/or with at least one rail for the guide system. The rail may be part of a base and the leg may extend from said base. The at least one leg may also be provided with at least one locking means for locking the module retainer in the assembled state.
According to another advantageous improvement, the at least one module retainer is provided with at least two legs, in particular parallel legs, which are spaced apart from each other. Particularly in the case of parallel legs, the legs are preferably spaced apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal directions of the legs. In the assembled state, the legs preferably extend parallel to the retainer insertion direction and/or perpendicular to the module insertion direction. The module retainer may have the overall shape of a U. Thereby, the two legs are parallel with each other and are interconnected by a pressing portion for pressing the module retainer into the retainer receptacle. The pressing portion preferably extends perpendicular to the legs and thereby perpendicular to the retainer insertion direction in the assembled state. The module retainer may have the shape of a clamp, a hoop or a bracket, each basically forming a "U".
Preferably, each leg is provided with a spring member, a locking means and a guide rail. Said locking means may, as mentioned above, be part of the spring member.
Preferably, the outer housing is provided with at least one support element for supporting the at least one module retainer in the assembled state. The support element may be an outer side of the side wall, in particular shaped as a rib extending along the retainer insertion direction. The support element may serve to support the module retainer, in particular the spring member of the same, or, in other words, to serve as an abutment, such that the spring force may be directed against the terminal module and push the terminal module towards the connector face.
Preferably, the housing assembly further comprises at least one terminal module that is insertable into the module receptacle. In the assembled state of the housing assembly, the at least one module retainer is preferably arranged between the outer housing or at least a section thereof and the terminal module or at least a section thereof. In the assembled state, the at least one module retainer may spring-load the terminal module in the module insertion direction towards the connector face. The term "between the outer housing and the terminal module" is to be understood as the module retainer extending between sections of the outer housing and the terminal module along the module insertion direction to apply the spring force between these two parts.
The at least one module retainer is preferably made from a plastic material and/or from metal. This does not exclude the module retainer being made from other materials or combinations of materials.
The at least one terminal module is preferably provided with terminal receptacles for receiving coaxial connectors. The connectors or terminals may be male or female. The housing assembly according to the invention is particularly beneficial for coaxial connectors for transmitting signals.
In the following, the invention and its improvements are described in greater detail using exemplary embodiments and with reference to the drawings. As described above, the various features shown in the embodiments may be used independently of each other in specific applications.
In the following figures, elements having the same function and/or the same structure will be referenced by the same reference signs.
In the drawings:

Fig. 1: shows a first embodiment of an outer housing for a housing assembly according to the invention and terminal module in a perspective view;
Fig. 2: shows the embodiment of Fig. 1 with the terminal module inserted in the outer housing and a module retainer prior to being inserted in the retainer receptacle;
Fig. 3: shows a close up view of the region around the retainer receptacle of the outer housing from Fig. 1;
Fig. 4: shows a close up view of the terminal module shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 5: shows a cut view of the terminal module in the module receptacle of the outer housing;
Fig. 6: shows the assembly of Fig. 2 in the fully assembled state with the module retainer being inserted;
Fig. 7: shows a first embodiment of the module retainer;
Fig. 8: shows a second embodiment of the module retainer;
Fig. 9: shows the module retainer from Fig. 7 in a different perspective;
Fig. 10: shows the module retainer from Fig. 9 in a compressed state;
Fig. 11: shows a close up view of the housing assembly in the fully assembled state as shown in Fig. 6 in the region of the module retainer;
Fig. 12: shows a cut view through the housing assembly with terminals of the terminal module being connected to complementary terminals in a housing assembly without the inventive module retainer; and
Fig. 13: shows a similar cut out for a housing assembly according to the invention.

Fig. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of an outer housing 1 that can be used for a housing assembly according to the invention. The outer housing 1 is preferably adapted for receiving terminals (not shown) or other means that need to be connected to complementary means of a complementary part 15 (indicated by the dashed lines).
The outer housing according to the invention is provided with at least one module receptacle 3 for receiving a terminal module 5. The terminal module 5 in itself is preferably connector-like in the sense of the terminal module 5 being able to carry terminals 7 to be connected to corresponding counter terminals from another connector.
The terminal module 5 may be inserted into the module receptacle 3 along a module insertion direction 9. In a fully assembled state, when the terminal module 5 is arranged in the outer housing 1, the outer housing 1 provides a connector face 11 at which terminals 7 inside the terminal module 5 are accessible for a mating connector 15.
The module receptacle 3 may be formed by an open volume inside the outer housing 1 that is adapted for receiving the terminal module 5. The module receptacle 3 may be opened to an outside of the outer housing 1 from a rear side 13 of the outer housing 1. The rear side 13 is the side of the outer housing 1 that lies opposite the connector face 11 seen in a direction parallel with the module insertion direction 9.
A complementary connector 15 is only indicated by the dashed lines in Fig. 1.
In order to assure that an inserted terminal module 5 keeps a predefined position with respect to the connector face 11, a module retainer 17 can be used. In order to receive the module retainer 17 in the outer housing 1, said outer housing 1 is provided with a retainer receptacle 19. The retainer receptacle 19 will be described in greater detail with respect to Fig. 3. The module retainer 17 will be described in greater detail later on with respect to Figs. 7 to 10.
Fig. 2 shows the outer housing 1 from Fig. 1 with the terminal module 5 being inserted in the module receptacle 3. A module retainer 17 is shown next to the outer housing 1 prior to insertion into the retainer receptacle 19. The module retainer may be inserted into the retainer receptacle along a retainer insertion direction 21. The retainer insertion direction 21 is preferably basically perpendicular to the module insertion direction 9. This is, however, not mandatory. The two directions 9 and 21 must not be perpendicular to each other, but it is preferred that the directions at least differ from each other.
When the terminal module 5 is arranged inside the module receptacle 3, at least a section of the terminal module 5 is accessible for the module retainer 17 from the retainer receptacle 19.
A close up view of the retainer receptacle 19 is shown in Fig. 3. The retainer receptacle 19 is basically formed by two openings 23 which are formed as slits 25. The openings 23 extend with longitudinal directions 27 basically parallel with the retainer insertion direction 21. The openings 23 are formed in side walls 29 of the outer housing 1.
Preferably, the side walls 29 also enclose the module receptacle 3. The openings 23 in the side walls 29 therefore form a common open volume 31 with the module receptacle 3. In other words, through the openings 23 of the retainer receptacle 19, the module receptacle 3 is opened to an outside 33 of the outer housing 1.
The slits 25 extend parallel to each other along the longitudinal direction 27 and are spaced apart perpendicular to the same and also perpendicular to the module insertion direction 9. In other words, the slits 25 are spaced apart in a width direction 35 of the outer housing 1.
Between the two slits 25, a recess 37 is arranged in a front wall 39 of the outer housing 1. The recess 37 may receive a pressing portion 73 of the module retainer 17 in the assembled state.
The slits 25 are bordered by a lower rim 41 and an upper rim 43 which are preferably both formed monolithically with the outer housing 1. The rims 41 and 43 are spaced apart from each other along the module insertion direction 9 and extend basically parallel with the retainer insertion direction 21. The rims 41 and 43 protrude from the side walls 29 to the outside 33. The rims 41 and 43 may serve to protect the module retainer 17 in the assembled state. Furthermore, at least the upper rim 43 may be part of a guide system 45 of the housing assembly.
The lower rim 41 is preferably provided with at least one counter locking means 47 that protrudes in the direction of the upper rim 43. Said counter locking means 47 may interact with a locking means 83 of the module retainer 17 in the assembled state by preventing a movement of the same against the retainer insertion direction 21.
Preferably, the counter locking means 47 defines an end of a recess 49 in which a locking means 83 of the module retainer 17 may rest in the assembled state. During insertion of a module retainer 17 into the retainer receptacle 19, the locking means 83 of the module retainer 17 must overcome the counter locking means 47 before being arranged inside the recess 49.
The lower rim 41 may further serve as support element 51 for supporting the module retainer 17 in the assembled state. The module retainer 17 may be arranged between the support element 51 and a part of the terminal module 5 in order to spring load the terminal module 5 in the direction of the connector face 11.
Fig. 4 shows a terminal module 5 in an enlarged view. As already mentioned above, the terminal module 5 is provided with terminals 7. Preferably, the terminals 7 are coaxial connectors.
The terminal module 5 is formed basically complementary to the module receptacle 3 for being easily inserted into the same.
In order to interact with the module retainer 17, the terminal module 5 is provided with two counter support elements 53. The counter support elements 53 are formed as areas 55, wherein the areas 55 extend perpendicular to the module insertion direction 9. The counter support elements 53 can be abutted by the module retainer 17. The module retainer 17 may thus push against the counter support elements 53 and thereby spring-load the terminal module 5 towards the connector face 11.
The counter support elements 53 or areas 55 are arranged in longitudinal recesses 57 which basically extend parallel with the retainer insertion direction 21 when the terminal module 5 is arranged inside the module receptacle 3. When the terminal module 5 is arranged inside the module receptacle 3, the recesses 57 are arranged at the same height as the openings 23 in the outer housing 1. Thus, the longitudinal recesses 57 are accessible for the module retainer 17 when the latter is inserted into the retainer receptacle 19.
In order to guide a module retainer 17 during insertion into the retainer receptacle 19 and in order to prevent a movement of the module retainer 17 in the width direction 35, each of the longitudinal recesses 57 is provided with a rail 59, wherein each rail 59 is based on a side wall 61 of its corresponding recess 57, wherein the side wall 61 is arranged opposite to the area 55 and thereby extends perpendicular to the module insertion direction 9.
Longitudinal directions of the rails 59 extend parallel with the longitudinal recesses 57. The rails 59 protrude towards the counter support element 53.
The terminal module 5 is further provided with stop surfaces 63 that abut the stop means 65 of the outer housing 1 in the assembled state and thereby define the position of the terminal module 5 in the outer housing 1 and the corresponding distance to the connector face 11. This is also shown in a close-up view in Fig. 5.
In Fig. 6, a housing assembly 67 is shown in the fully assembled state 69. The housing assembly 67 according to the invention comprises the outer housing 1 and the module retainer 17. The housing assembly 67 may further comprise the terminal module 5. In the fully assembled state 69, the terminal module 5 is arranged inside the module receptacle 3 of the outer housing 1 and the module retainer 17 is arranged inside the retainer receptacle 19. In this state, the module retainer 17 applies a spring force F on the terminal module 5 towards the connector face 11 or, in other words, in the module insertion direction 9.
Now, two different designs of a module retainer 17 are described with respect to figures 7 and 8.,
First, the embodiment shown in Fig. 7 is described. Afterwards, the embodiment shown in Fig. 8 will be described with respect to only the differences to the embodiment shown in Fig. 7.
The module retainer 17 basically has the shape of a U. In other words, two legs 71 are present that extend with their longitudinal directions along the retainer insertion direction 21. The legs 71 are parallel with each other and spaced apart in the width direction 35. The legs 71 are interconnected by a pressing portion 73 of the module retainer 17. Both legs 71 are formed mirror symmetrically with each other, wherein a mirror plane extends between both legs 71 perpendicular to the width direction 35.
In the following, only one of the legs is described. However, the description refers to both legs, taking into account the symmetry of the legs 71.
Each leg 71 is provided with a part of the guide system 45, namely with a groove 75 for receiving the rail 59 of the terminal module 5. When the rail 59 is arranged inside the groove 75, the leg cannot be moved away from the terminal module 5 along the width direction 35. Next to the groove 75 and basically parallel with the same, each leg 71 is provided with an elastically deformable spring member 77 that is adapted to generate the spring force.
The spring member 77 of the embodiment shown in Fig. 7 may have an overall wedge-shape, wherein the wedge shape is constituted by two beams 79. The beams 79 basically form a triangle with the remaining leg 71. The two beams 79 extend from opposite ends of the leg 71, wherein "opposite" refers to the retainer insertion direction 21. In the middle of the legs 71, the two beams 79 are connected with each other forming a tip of the triangular shape. The portion of the lag 71 that is not part of the spring member 77 forms a base 78.
The triangular shape is elastically compressible parallel with the module insertion direction 9.
Each tip 81 forms a locking means 83 of the module retainer 17. The tip 81 basically protrudes into a direction that is parallel with the module insertion direction 9 in the assembled state 69, but oriented in the opposite direction. The groove 75 of a leg 71 is opened in the same direction into which the tip 81 protrudes.
On the opposite side of the leg 71, seen in the module insertion direction 9, is provided with a support surface 85 for abutting a counter support element 53 of the terminal module 5.
The module retainer 17 shown in Fig. 8 differs from the module retainer 17 shown in Fig. 7 in that the spring member 77 on each leg 71 is elastically deflectable instead of being compressible. This is achieved by one of the beams 79 being shortened compared with the first embodiment. In other words, one of the beams 79, namely the one that is closer to the pressing portion 73 is not in direct contact with the leg 71. Hence, the other beam 79 forms an elastically deflectable lever 87.
The tip 89 of the shortened beam 79 may form a stop member stopping the deflection of the lever 87 when the tip 89 abuts the legs 71. The tip 81 of the spring member 77 in the second embodiment may also serve as locking means of the module retainer 17.
It should further be noted for both embodiments of the module retainer 71 that the beam 79 that extends from the forward end 91 of its corresponding leg 71 may form a guide surface for facilitated insertion of the module retainer 17 into the remaining housing assembly 67. The forward end 91 is the end of the module retainer 17 that lies opposite to the pressing portion 73 in the retainer insertion direction 21.
Fig. 9 shows the module retainer 17 of Fig. 7 in a different perspective. Here, the support surfaces 85 of the legs 71 are shown. It can be seen that the support surfaces 84 are basically planar along the module insertion direction 21 and the width direction 35. The surfaces 85 are planar except for a latching protrusion 93 on each leg 71 that protrudes from the surface in the module insertion direction 9.
The latching protrusions 93 may be arranged in complementary recesses (not shown) which are arranged in the areas 55 in the terminal module 5. Hence, using the latching protrusions 93 and the locking means 83, each module retainer 17 may be locked with the outer housing 1 and the terminal module 5.
Fig. 9 shows the module retainer 17 in an uncompressed state.
A compressed state is shown in Fig. 10. As can be seen, the two beams 79 are arranged much closer to the remaining leg 71. Since the module retainer 17 is preferably made from an elastic material, the spring members 77 may exert a spring force parallel with the module insertion direction 9 in this compressed state.
A module retainer 17 in the fully assembled state 69 of the housing assembly 67 is shown in a close-up view in Fig. 11. The tip 83 or, in other words, the locking means 83 is arranged in the recess 49. Thus, the counter locking means 47 prevents the removal of the module retainer 17 against the module insertion direction 21. In this state, the support surface 85 is in abutment with the area 55 of the terminal module 5. Hence, the module retainer 17 is arranged between the outer housing 1 and the terminal module 5, spring-loading the terminal module 5 towards the connector face 11.
In order to show the advantages of the housing assembly 67 according to the invention, reference is made to figures 12 and 13. Fig. 12 shows a housing assembly without the module retainer 17 that spring loads a terminal module in the module insertion direction. Hence, a gap 95 is present between a dielectric filling 97of a terminal 7 in the terminal module 5 and a dielectric filling 99 of a counter terminal 101.
Such a gap 95 reduces the signal strength between the two terminals. This problem may also occur even when an electric contact 103 of the terminal 7 is in contact with a counter electrical contact 105 of the counter terminal 101. The counter terminal 101 may be part of a complementary connector 15.
In Fig. 13, a housing assembly 67 according to the invention is shown in the same situation as in Fig. 12. However, no gap is arranged between the dielectric filling of the terminal 7 and the counter terminal 101. This is due to the fact that the module retainer 17 spring loads the terminal module 5 towards the connector face 11. Hence, the inventive solution improves the signal transmission between the terminals 7 and 101.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

1: Outer housing
3: Module receptacle
5: Terminal module
7: Terminals
9: Module insertion direction
11: Connector face
13: Rear side
15: Complementary connector
17: Module retainer
19: Retainer receptacle
21: Retainer insertion direction
23: Openings
25: Slits
27: Longitudinal direction
29: Side walls
31: Open volume
33: Outside
35: Width direction
37: Recess
39: Front wall
41: Lower rim
43: Upper rim
45: Guide system
47: Counter locking means
49: Recess
51: Support element
53: Counter support elements
55: Areas
57: Longitudinal recess
59: Rail
61: Side wall
63: Stop surface
65: Stop means
67: Housing assembly
69: Fully assembled state
71: Leg
73: Pressing portion
75: Groove
77: Spring member
79: Beam
81: Tip
83: Locking means
85: Support surface
87: lever
89: Tip
91: Forward end
93: Latching protrusion
95: Gap
97: Dielectric filling
99: Dielectric filling
101: Counter terminal
103: Electric contact
105: Counter electric contact
F: Spring force

Claims

Housing assembly (67), comprising an outer housing (1) with at least one module receptacle (3) for receiving at least one connector-like terminal module (5) and with a connector face (11) at which the outer housing (1) can be connected with a complementary part (15), and with at least one module retainer (17) for retaining at least one terminal module (5) in the module receptacle (3) in an assembled state (69), wherein the module retainer (17) is adapted to be at least partially insertable into a retainer receptacle (19) of the outer housing (1), characterized in that the at least one module retainer (17) is adapted to spring-load a terminal module (5) in the module receptacle (3) towards the connector face (11) in the assembled state (69).
Housing assembly (67) according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one retainer receptacle (19) is connected with the at least one module receptacle (3).
Housing assembly (67) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the at least one module retainer (17) is provided with at least one elastically deformable spring member (77) adapted to generate a spring-force (F).
Housing assembly (67) according to claim 3, characterized in that the at least one spring member (77) is formed as a elastically deflectable lever (87).
Housing assembly (67) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the at least one module receptacle (3) is adapted for receiving the at least one terminal module (5) along a module insertion direction (9) and the at least one retainer receptacle (19) is opened to an outside (33) of the outer housing (1) along a retainer insertion direction (21), wherein the retainer insertion direction (21) differs from the module insertion direction (9).
Housing assembly (67) according to claim 5, characterized in that the at least one retainer receptacle (19) is provided with at least one opening (23) in a side wall (29) of the outer housing (1), a longitudinal direction (27) of the opening (23) being basically parallel with the retainer insertion direction (21).
Housing assembly (67) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the module retainer (17) is provided with at least one locking means (83) for locking the module retainer (17) against removal.
Housing assembly (67) according to claim 7, characterized in that the outer housing (1) is provided with at least one counter locking means (47) for locking the locking means (83) of the module retainer (17) in the assembled state (69).
Housing assembly (67) according to any one of claims 7 or 8, characterized in that the at least one locking means (83) is part of the at least one spring member (77) of the module retainer (17).
Housing assembly (67) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the housing assembly (67) is provided with at least one guide system (45) adapted to guide at least a part of the module retainer (17) into the retainer receptacle (19).
Housing assembly (67) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the at least one module retainer (17) is provided with at least one leg (71) for being inserted into the retainer receptacle (19).
Housing assembly (67) according to claim 11, characterized in that the at least one module retainer (17) is provided with at least two legs (71) which are spaced apart from each other.
Housing assembly ()67 according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the outer housing (1) is provided with at least one support element (51) for supporting the at least one module retainer (17) in the assembled state (69).
Housing assembly (67) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the housing assembly (67) further comprises at least one terminal module (5) that is insertable into the module receptacle (3), wherein the at least one module retainer (17) is arranged between the outer housing (1) and the terminal module (5) in the assembled state (69) of the housing assembly (67).
Housing assembly (67) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the at least one module retainer (17) is made from a plastic material and/or from metal.