FR2706688A1 - Modular element intended, together with other identical elements, to make up an electrical connector housing element - Google Patents

Abstract

Modular element of the type formed by a body having a parallelepipedal general shape with an upper wall (2), a lower wall (5) and two side walls (3 and 4), the said body (1) including a series of parallel channels (8) and means for fixing the said body (1) against an identical body, characterised in that it includes, on each of the side walls, a flange (cheek) (20, 30), the distance separating the two flanges being equal to the distance separating the side walls (3 and 4), each flange including two ramps (21) having a part (21a) which opens onto the free edge and an inclined part (21c) connecting the part (21a) to a terminal part (21b) extending substantially parallel to the lower wall (5) and each side wall (3 and 4) including two studs which are aligned with the parts (21c) and have dimensions corresponding to the said ramps.

Description

Modular element intended, with other identical elements,

  to constitute an electrical connector housing element.

  The present invention relates to a modular element intended to constitute, with other identical elements,

  an electrical connector housing member.

  One of the aims of the present invention is to produce a modular element which is simple to produce and which,

  when assembled with other identical elements,

  me a one-piece housing element.

  The modular element, according to the invention, is

  of the type formed by a body of generally parallelepiped shape

  having a top wall, a bottom wall and two side walls, said body comprising a series of parallel channels each intended to receive a male or female electrical contact member and means for fixing said body against an identical body, said element

  modular being characterized in that it comprises, on each

  one of the side walls, one cheek projecting from the surface of the lower wall, the interval separating the two cheeks being equal to the distance separating the side walls, each cheek comprising two ramps having

  one part opening on their free edge and one part

  cliné connecting the part opening on their free edge to a terminal part extending substantially parallel to the lower wall, each side wall comprising two pins aligned with the parts opening on the edge

  free from the ramps and whose dimensions correspond to-

say ramps.

  Thanks to this structure, one can easily

  appear several modular elements to form an ele

  electrical connector housing by engaging the pins of an element in the ramps of an identical element

arranged above.

  According to a particular constructive characteristic

  the free edge of each cheek has, near

  ge of one of the ramps, a notch while each side wall is provided with a lug, the notch being finished, S at one end, by an inclined part opening into the part of the ramp opening on the edge free of the cheek and on the side thereof opposite that adjacent to the part of the ramp substantially parallel to the wall

  lower, the lug having, on the one hand, a cor-

  respondente inclined and, on the other hand, on the opposite side a steep. Thanks to this arrangement, a locking system for the elements between

  them so that they cannot unintentionally uncoupledi-

  vement. Finally, according to a last characteristic,

  the channels opening on the upper face and the lower face

  have a series of corresponding shoulders

to said channels.

  A security system is produced which prevents the modular elements from being mounted together if the electrical contact members housed in the channels are not

not properly set up.

  The invention will now be described with more details with reference to a particular embodiment given by way of example only and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing

  a modular element, according to the invention.

  Figure 2 is another perspective view of

  the modular element of Figure 1.

  Figure 3 is a perspective view with a cutaway showing several modular elements assembled. Figures 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views showing the different phases of the assembly of the elements

modular between them.

  Figure 7 is a sectional view showing the possibility of assembling the modular elements when the gold

  electrical contact handle is imperfectly installed.

  Figure 8 is still a sectional view showing the impossibility of mounting when the electrical contact member

  trique is not properly engaged in its housing.

  Figures 9, 10 and 11 are dry sectional views showing the locking of the modular elements

between them.

  The modular element shown in Figures and 2 comprises a body 1 of molded plastic material of generally parallelepipedal shape with a top wall 2, two side walls 3 and 4 and a bottom wall 5. The top wall 2 has four openings 6 which are separated by partitions, said or grooves 6 opening into the channels 8 which, at the anterior end, terminate on the front face 12 of the body and, at the posterior end, form an introduction end or green d '' an electric contact member fe

Miss 35.

  Each channel 8, on the side of the front face 12,

  includes stops 13 for retaining the member 35 and, on the side

  tee of the wall 2, a groove 14 while, on the side of the wall 5, there is provided a groove 15 terminated by a

stop 16.

  The wall 5 comprises notches 17 intended to cooperate with the free upper edge of the partitions 10, the side walls 3 and 4 and the shoulders 18 intended

to engage in the openings 8.

  The side wall 3 is integral with a cheek

  extended on the side of wall S by a portion extending

  dant substantially parallel to said wall 3, said cheek comprising two ramps 21 which each have a

  part 21a & opening at the free end of the cheek and extending

  S15 dant substantially perpendicular to the wall 5, an inclined part 21c and a substantially parallel part 21b

to said wall 5.

  The side wall 3 has two pins 23 each aligned with the part 21a & of the ramp 21 and having

  dimensions corresponding to those of said ramps 21.

  The free edge of the cheek 20 has a

  che 24, while between the pins 23 is disposed a lug intended to be inserted in a corresponding notch 24

  of an element to assemble. The notch 24 presents, at an ex-

  end, an inclined portion 26, while the lug 25 pre-

  feels a corresponding tilted cheek 25a.

  The side wall 4 has a cheek 30 made

  placed in the same way as the cheek 20 and the references used for this cheek 30 are shown

for the cheek 20.

  The inclined part 26 opens into the part 21a of the ramp 21 located in the vicinity of the end of the cheeks 20, 30, opposite to those turned on the side of the front face 12 and, on the side of said part 21.a opposite to that

adjacent to face 12.

  The side wall 4 also includes studs 23 corresponding to those of the wall 3 and a lug 25. The notches 24 are located in the vicinity of one of the ramp 21 and the inclined parts 26 terminate in said ramps. The distance between the two cheeks 20 and 30 cor

  corresponds to the distance separating the two walls 3 and 4.

  In the embodiment described, each channel 8 is intended to receive a female electrical contact member 35 which comprises, at one end, woven tabs 32 and 33 intended to grip, respectively, a stripped conductor and the latter with its insulating sheath At its other end, the member 35 has a clamp 3 intended to elastically enclose a male member of electrical contact housed in a complementary box element.

(not shown).

  The electrical contact member 35 has the resilient tongues 36 and 37, the tongue 36 fitting into the groove 14 and the tongue 37 dan

groove 15.

  Figures 4, 5, 6 and 9, 10, 11 show the assembly of two modular elements, according to the invention Prior to this assembly, is housed in each channel a member 35 which is blocked between the stops 13 e 16 then, two elements are superimposed so that the tones 23 are inserted into the parts 21k of the ramps 21. The pins 25 coming to engage in the notches 24 (see FIGS. 4 and 9). Pressure is then applied so that the pins 23 cooperate with the parts 21z of the ramps 21 (see FIGS. 5 and 10) and finally, one of the elements is made to slide relative to the other so that the pins 2 s 'engage in parts 21b of said ramps (see fig 6). During this last phase, the ramp 25a of the lug 25 bears against the inclined part 26 of the notch 24, escapes from the latter to come to be housed in 1

  part 21a. of the corresponding ramp 21 so as to

  lock the two elements together (see fig.

re 11).

  It will be noted that the pins 25, on the side opposite to the ramps 25k, have a steep 25b so that when the elements are locked, practically, they are no longer removable, the steep 25 opposing the passage

lugs in the notches 24.

  The shoulders 18, when the elements are assembled (see FIG. 6), close the free ends of the grooves 14 and, also, abut against the

  corresponding ends of the members 35 so that these

these are perfectly wedged.

  If one of the members 35 is engaged in a channel 8 but insufficiently for the tongue 37 to bear against

  the stop 16 during the locking phase of the two elements

  elements (see Figure 7), the corresponding shoulder 18, in

  going against the member 35, pushes it towards its posi-

locking tion.

  It will be noted, on the other hand, (see FIG. 8) that two elements cannot be assembled if a member 35 is not sufficiently engaged in its channel 8 because, in this case,

  the free end of the shoulder 18 abuts on the body of the

  said organ 35 and the nipples 23 may in no case

be engaged in the ramps 21.

  As seen in Figure 3, we can assemble

  bler a number of modular elements, the one located at one end may include an elastic tab 40

  for locking the boot element thus formed

  killed on a complementary boot item.

  Of course, the invention is not limited

  to the embodiment which has just been described and represented

  you. Many modifications can be made

  detail without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (3)

R E V E N D I C A T IONS   1. Modular element intended, with other identical elements, to constitute an electrical connector housing element of the type formed by a body of rectangular shape generated with an upper wall (2), ur lower wall (S) and two side walls (3 and 4, said body (1) comprising a series of parallel channels (8) each intended to receive a male or female electrical contact member (35) and means for fixing the body (1) against an identical body, characterized in that J comprises, on each of the side walls, a cheek (2C) projecting from the surface of the lower wall (5), the interval separating the two cheeks being equal to 1 distance separating the side walls (3 and 4), each   cheek comprising two ramps (21) having a part (2l.   opening on their free edge and an inclined part (2l1 connecting the part opening on their free edge (21a) an end part (21) extending substantially para] lely to the bottom wall (5), each side wall (3 and 4) comprising two pins aligned with the parts (21c) opening on the free edge of the ramps and of which 1e   dimensions correspond to said ramps.   2. Modular element, according to claim 1, characterized in that the free edge of each cheek (2t 30) comprises, in the vicinity of one of the ramps (21), us notch (24), while each side wall ( 3, 4) e_ provided with a lug (25), the notch being terminated, at ui end, by an inclined part (26) opening into da: the part (21a) of the ramp (21) opening onto the edge 1:   bre of the cheek and the side of it opposite to cel.   adjacent to the sensitive part (21b) of the ramp (21): parallel to the lower wall, the lug has, on the one hand, a corresponding inclined face (25a &) and, on the other   share, from the opposite side, a steep (25b).  AD ORIGINAL% '   3. Modular element, according to claim 1, characterized in that the channels (8) open on the upper face (2) and, the lower face comprises a   series of shoulders (18) corresponding to said channels (8).