FR2802351A1 - CONNECTION DEVICE FOR A COMMUNICATION APPARATUS - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a connection device (1), in particular for a communication device (2), preferably intended for use in the industrial field, comprising a plug (3) in particular of the RJ-45 type to be inserted into a corresponding socket (4) of the communication device (2). In order to have a connection device that can be used under severe conditions, the plug (3) is attached to a printed circuit board (6) and is electrically connected to a connection device (7) also attached to the circuit board. printed (6). The printed circuit board (6) can be placed in a separate housing (8) and is held therein. A strain relief device (9) for the connection cable which is connected or which can be connected to the plug (3) is provided on or in the housing.

Description

Connection device for a communication device The invention

  relates to a connection device, in particular for a communication device, comprising an RJ45 type plug, to

  insert into a corresponding socket on the communication device.

  Connection devices for communication devices of all kinds are known in practice. The use of fast communication systems for the realization of computer networks in

  office automation has grown significantly in recent years.

  Among these systems, the transmission systems according to the standard

  IEEE 802.3 are by far the most common.

  Up to now, in the field of industrial automation, the communication systems have been specially designed for the functional areas concerned and, therefore, their use remains limited to these areas. Data exchange between communication systems on the manufacturing side and networks on the office side, at management and

  management, are very often carried out by transmission systems

  IEEE 802.3 standard. It would be desirable that the systems

  last mentioned, especially categories 10Base-T and 100Base-

  TX very widespread, gain the classical fields of the systems

  industrial communications. For this it is essential that these systems, also known as "Ethernet" are usable or

  are suitable for industrial application. This concerns any party

  especially, in addition to the electrical behavior, the mechanical robustness

  devices and their coupling or connection to the network.

  Known connection devices usually include-

  ment, on the cable connection side, a male connector, or plug, crimped to 8 poles, better known in practice under the designation RJ-45 connector or plug, and on the device side a female connector, or socket, suitable, the plug being locked into the socket using a locking tab when inserted into said socket. With regard to the installation in industry of devices with connection systems of this type, account

  more stringent conditions, particularly in terms of mechanical actions

  the connection device can be quickly damaged.

  Starting from there, the object of the present invention is a connection device of the type indicated in the introduction, which allows a connection of the communication devices adapted to the industrial environment, even under severe conditions. It is important here, in particular for communication and other devices, to maintain full compatibility with connectors standardized according to the standard

IEE 802.3.

  This object is achieved in a connection device of the indicated type

  in introduction essentially by the fact that the plug is fixed to a plate

  printed circuit board and is electrically connected to a connection or adaptation device also fixed to the circuit board

  printed circuit board can be placed in a bowl

  separate tier and is held therein and by the fact that an anti-tracking device

  tion for a connection cable connected or capable of being connected to the plug is

provided on or in the housing.

  The arrangement according to the invention offers a whole series of advantages.

  tages. Thanks to the arrangement of the plug in a housing, said socket is protected from external influences. The anti-pulling device prevents tensile forces acting on the cable from being exerted on the contact points of the plug or of the connection device. The connection device according to the invention is further characterized in that it can

  be easily adapted and used in combination with other connections

  known teurs, since the housing is a separate element which can be

  subsequently connected to a corresponding connection cable.

  To absorb forces when inserting the plug into a

  corresponding socket of a communication device or installation

  tion, so that the electrical connection between the plug and the printed circuit board is not stressed too much, the plug has a fixing part which is mechanically linked to the printed circuit board, preferably at a plug body exterior and a connection part electrically linked to the printed circuit board, in particular housed in the exterior plug body. Thanks to this particular arrangement, in particular in connection with the external plug body and the connection part housed inside thereof, one obtains on the one hand a mechanically reliable fixing of the plug to the printed circuit board and on the other hand good

  electrical connection between the plug and the conductive tracks of said plate

printed circuit board.

  For the connection of a cable to the plug via the printed circuit board, the connection device may include self-stripping terminals, clamp terminals or screw terminals. The types of terminals mentioned make it easy to carry out a

fast and reliable connection.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the plug, the printed circuit board and the connection device form a preassembled assembly. The use of a building element of this

  type considerably simplifies assembly on site.

  In an alternative embodiment of the connection device

  described in the introduction, in accordance with the invention, the sheet can be placed

  created in a separate box and held in it once mounted.

  A strain relief device for a connected or capable connection cable

  be connected to the plug is provided on or in the housing. The advantages listed

  previously res are kept with this variant of

  the invention. This variant embodiment is characterized by a cons-

  very simple truction, only the socket housed in the housing and the anti-

  traction being necessary in the simplest arrangement. The forces which act on the connection device when it is inserted into the socket are absorbed by the housing, while the tensile forces exerted on

  the connection cable is also transmitted to the housing via

  diary of the anti-traction device. In this context, it is also possible

  ble, electrically connect the connection device to the plug. In this case, a connection cable is used which does not include a plug.

  to make the electrical connection between the connection cable and the plug.

  In another alternative embodiment, the plug has a socket which is housed inside the housing for the connection of a corresponding plug of the connection cable. Thus in this case, it is possible to use a connection cable provided with a common type connection plug which is connected to the connection device according to the invention, which cable, once made the connection with the connection device according to the invention, is perfectly

  suitable for industrial application.

  In order to allow a simple and easy mounting of the connection device according to the invention, provision is made to make the housing in several

  parts. A two-part design, with an upper housing part

  lower part of the housing, is particularly advantageous

  geuse. In an arrangement of this type, the lower housing part can form a housing in which the various elements are arranged. The

  upper housing part then serves as a cover closing the housing when

that the editing is finished.

  In a simple embodiment, the two housing parts can be snapped together, which allows very easy mounting.

  fast. Particularly in the case of severe external conditions, a bond

  sound by screw of the two housing parts can be provided in place of the connection

  its by snap-fastening or in addition to this.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the part of

  upper housing and / or the lower housing portion have an over-

  metal face or are made of metal, which allows any parasitic signals to be evacuated by a large surface via the

  housing parts, insofar as the communication device

  carries a grounded metal surface in the region of the socket which

corresponds to the card.

  As mentioned above, the lower housing part can, preferably, be used to house and arrange the elements

  during assembly. In order to obtain a reliable fixing of the plug and the plate

  PCB in the housing, the plug is held in a housing

  in a front face of the lower housing part, while the plate

  printed circuit board is inserted in the lower housing part, preferably in such a way that the printed circuit board is held

  by obstacle in the plane of said plate, in the lower housing part

  better. It is obvious that after assembly of the two housing parts, the

  plug and printed circuit board are held in position.

  In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention

  tion, the housing can be screwed to the communication device. For this, manually operated screws are provided on the side of the housing which are screwed into corresponding threaded holes on the communication device. By this possibility of fixing by screw of the connection device according to the invention on the communication device, a particularly mechanically robust plug connection is obtained.

  and electrically, perfectly suited for industrial application

  trielle. The external forces acting on the connection device, namely the forces exerted directly on the housing or through

  of the connection cable are transmitted directly to the communication device

  indication via the screw connection, so that no interruption of

  the electrical connection is not to be feared.

  As indicated in the introduction, the present invention preferably relates to plug-in connections or connections using RJ-45 type plugs. The plugs of this type, but also in principle of other plugs, include a locking tab which cooperates with a latching means associated inside the socket of the communication device. In the connection device according to the invention, the plug is held on or in the housing in such a way that the locking tab is deformed during assembly of the housing parts and that it cannot be snapped into the socket. This particular arrangement is important, because on the one hand the screw connection described above between the housing and the communication device alone is sufficient to ensure a reliable connection between the connection device and the communication and communication device. on the other hand it is very difficult to unlock the plug, once the connection device inserted into the socket, access to the

  locking means being considerably complicated by the housing.

  The strain relief device mentioned in the introduction, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, is located in the region of a recess in the front face, connection side of the cable, of the lower housing part. Advantageously, the anti-traction device is

  fixed or secured inside the box, on the front of it.

  Thus, on the one hand the anti-traction device is not likely to be lost and on the other hand no retreat of the anti-traction device in the housing in the event of pressure exerted on the cable is to be feared. Preferably, the device

  anti-traction 'includes two bars which can be screwed or locked

  queried with each other. An anti-traction device of this type ensures simple and quick assembly. In addition, the strain relief device offers the advantage of allowing the connection of cables with a diameter greater than

  that of cables normally used in connection with RJ- connectors

  45. The anti-traction device described above is particularly suitable in the

  connection cables with double sheath, for which the sheath integrates

  is attached to the plug and the outer sheath is attached to the anti-

traction.

  To protect the cable from involuntary bending at the outlet of the box

  third, there is provided an anti-crease sleeve which, preferably is held in or on the recess in the front face, connection side of the cable, of the lower housing part and is tightened therein after assembly of the

two housing parts.

  Examples of embodiment of the invention are described from

  in detail in the following with reference to the drawings. Those-

  shown: FIG. 1, an exploded perspective view of different elements of a connection device according to the invention, FIG. 2, a perspective view of a preassembled connection device, in the non-closed state, FIG. 3, a perspective view of another embodiment of a connection device according to the invention, in the non-closed state,

  FIG. 4, a top view of part of a communication apparatus

connector equipped with a plug.

  Figures 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of a connection device 1 according to the invention, while Figure 3 shows another embodiment of said connection device 1. The connection device 1 is provided in particular for be connected to communication devices 2 of all types, preferably in the field

  of industrial automation. The connection device 1 according to the invention

  tion is preferably based on the connection techniques defined in

  the IEEE 802.3 standard, with twisted pair cabling systems. The availability

  connection device 1, in all embodiments, comprises a male connector or plug 3 to be inserted into a corresponding female connector or socket 4 of the communication device 2, as shown in FIG. 4. The plug 3 present in its front part an external plug-in part 5 which projects out of the housing 8 when the connection device 1 is assembled, and has a standardized form of connector

RJ-45 type.

  In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 the

  plug 3 is fixed to a printed circuit board 6 and is electrically connected

  ment to a connection or adaptation device 7, also fixed to the printed circuit board 6. Furthermore, the printed circuit board 6 is arranged in a separate housing and is held therein. A strain relief device 9 for a connection cable connected or capable of being connected to the plug 3 is also provided on or in the housing. The connection cable in

  as such is not shown here.

  In the embodiment shown, the plug 3 has a fixing part 10 which is mechanically linked to the printed circuit board 6 and is preferably provided on an outer body or housing 11 of the plug 3. In the outer body 11 there is a connection part 12. The connection part 12, in this case, is a connection cable which, on one side is connected to the plug 3, that is to say to the various pads

  connection not shown on the plug, and on the other is connected to the different

  your conductive tracks of the printed circuit board 6.

  As regards the connection device 7, it is in the present case a connection block comprising several screw terminals, which is fixed to the printed circuit board 6. Instead of the screw terminals, it is also possible use clamp terminal systems or self-stripping terminal systems. The plug 3, the printed circuit board 6 and the connection device 7 form a preassembled assembly which can be simply mounted in the housing 8, as will be described more

in detail later.

  The connection device 1 represented in FIG. 3 corresponds to

  lays in principle the device of Figures 1 and 2. The important feature in this embodiment is that the plug 3, preferably also of the RJ-45 type, can be mounted in the separate housing and is

  held in it and that, as in the embodiment described above

  demment, there is provided on the housing 8 or therein, an anti-

  pull 9 for a connection cable, not shown in detail, which

  is connected or can be connected to plug 3.

  In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the plug 3 has a socket 13 which is disposed inside the housing 8, for

  inserting a corresponding plug of the connection cable not shown

  smelled. It is possible to provide, instead of the embodiment shown

  felt, a connection device that is electrically and mechanically linked

  directly or indirectly, to the plug and through which the various conductors of the connection cable are connected to the

connection device plug.

  As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the housing 8 is in two parts

  ties. It includes an upper housing part 14 and a lower housing part 15. The use of a two-part housing 14, 15 facilitates mounting at the connection of the connection cable, in particular

  in cases where the connection device 7 is of the pin type

  naked. In this case, the contacts are made during the assembly of the

  two housing parts 14, 15, a transverse bar provided in the device

  positive connection 7 pressing the self-stripping terminals on the strands or the various conductors of the connection cable. The connection

  one by one of the different conductors of the connection cable is thus replaced

  created by the assembly of the two housing parts 14, 15.

  In the assembled state, not shown, the two housing parts 14, 15 are firmly connected to each other preferably by a snap connection and / or a screw connection. In addition the two housing parts

  14, 15 have a metal surface.

  In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the printed circuit board 6 is placed in the lower housing part i15 and is held by obstacle, in the plane of the printed circuit board, in

  said the lower housing part 15. Although this is not shown

  felt, sheet 3, in this embodiment, can be fixed in a recess

  ment 16 of a front face 17, connection side of the cable, of the lower housing part 15, so that the forces acting on the plug 3 are transmitted directly to the housing 8, and not via the wafer printed circuit 6. This is the case in the embodiment shown in Figure 3. There, the plug 3 is fixed in a recess 16 of the

  front face 17, cable connection side. The lateral edges of the recess

  ment 16 engage in corresponding grooves 18 provided on the plug 3. Although this is not shown, there is provided on the plug 3, on a non-visible underside of the plug-in part 5, a locking tab intended for cooperate with an associated latching means in socket 4 of the communication device 2. In the arrangement and

  arrangement according to the invention of sheet 3 in the recess 16, the lan-

  locking not shown not rests on the lower edge 19 of the recess 16. During the assembly of the two housing parts 14, 15, the locking tab is deformed, that is to say that it is pressed towards the underside of the outer plug-in part 5, so that the locking tab can no longer snap into place with the

  latching means of the socket 4. Thus by cooperating with the two par-

  housing ties 14, 15, the locking tab is deactivated.

  The connection between the connection device 1 and the communication device

  munication 2 is achieved by means of a screw connection. A screw 20, 21 is provided for this purpose on each side of the housing 8. The screws 20, 21 have at their end on the cable connection side a gripping part 23. The threaded parts 23 of the screws 20, 21 are associated with threaded holes 24 in the communication device 2. The connection device 1 can be screwed onto the communication device 2 by means of screws 20, 21 and threaded holes 24. It is advantageous in this context that the front face of the communication device 2 comprises a plate 25 with a metal surface connected to the ground. By the contact between the housing parts 14, 15 provided with a metal surface and the plate 25, it is largely eliminated

spurious signals.

  As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the anti-traction device 9

  is provided in the region of a recess 26 of a front face 27 of the part

  lower case tie 15, cable connection side; it is thus on the side of the housing 8 opposite the plug 3. The anti-traction device 9 is fixed or

  attached to the front face 27, inner side, between the connection device

  7 and the front face 27. As shown in Figure 1, the strain relief device 9 comprises two bars provided with a rounded recess, which can be screwed or snapped together. An anti-crease sleeve is also provided, which is held in the recess 26 on the face.

  front 27 of the lower housing part 15.

  The mounting of the connection device 1 according to the invention is really simple. First of all, the assembly formed by the plug 3, the printed circuit board 6 and the connection device 7 is placed in the lower housing part 15. After having threaded the anti-kink sleeve 28 on the connection cable not shown and fixed said connection cable using the anti-traction device 9, the various

  cable conductors at the corresponding terminals of the connecting device

  7. Then the upper housing part 14 is placed on the lower housing part 15 and is linked to the latter; simultaneously, the locking tab not shown on the plug 3 is deactivated. The external plug-in part 5 can then be inserted into the socket 4. The attachment of the connection device 1 to the communication device 2 is

made by screwing the screws 20, 21.

  In the embodiment of Figure 3, the connection is

  even simpler. In this case the connection cable is simply inserted

  ché using a suitable connector in the socket part 13 of the plug 3. The cable is then fixed using the strain relief device 9. We can then close the box 8, insert the connection device 1 in the

  socket 4 and, as described above, screw it onto the communication device

tion 2.

he

Claims (16)

  1. Connection device (1), in particular for a communication device (2), preferably intended for use in the industrial field, comprising a plug (3) in particular of RJ-45 type to be inserted into a socket ( 4) corresponding to the communication device (2), characterized in that the plug (3) is fixed to a printed circuit board (6) and is electrically connected to a connection device (7) fixed to the board printed circuit (6), in that the printed circuit board (6) can be placed in a separate housing (8) and held therein and in that   a strain relief device (9) for the connected connection cable or for   before being connected to the plug (3) is provided on or in the housing.   2. Connection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the plug (3) comprises a fixing part (10) which is mechanically linked to the printed circuit board (6), preferably on a plug body (11 ) exterior and a connecting part (12) which is linked   electrically to the printed circuit board (6) and is pre-arranged   reference in the outer plug body (11).   3. Connection device according to claim 1 or 2, character-   rised in that the connection device (7) includes self-terminating   strippers, clamp terminals or screw terminals.   4. Connection device according to any one of the claims.   1 to 3, characterized in that the plug (3), the printed circuit board (6) and the connection device (7) form a mounting assembly pre assembled.   5. Connection device (1), in particular for a communication device (2), preferably intended for use in the industrial field, comprising a plug (3) in particular of the RJ-45 type to be inserted into a socket ( 4) corresponding to the communication device (2), characterized in that the plug (3) can be placed in a separate housing (8) and held therein and in that an anti-traction device (9 ) for the connection cable connected or capable of being connected to the plug (3) is provided on or in the housing.   6. Connection device according to claim 5, characterized   in that the plug (3) has a socket (1 3) disposed inside the box   tier (8) for the insertion of a suitable plug of the connection cable.   7. Connection device according to any one of the claims.   1 to 6, characterized in that the housing (8) is in several parts, more particularly is in two parts and, preferably, comprises an upper housing part (14) and a lower housing part (15). 8. Connection device according to claim 7, characterized in that the upper housing part (14) and the housing part (15)   lower are linked to each other by snap-fastening and / or screwing.   9. Connection device according to claim 7 or 8, character-   that the upper housing part (14) and / or the housing part   (15) lower have a metallic surface or are made of metal.   10. Connection device according to any one of the claims.   tions 7 to 9, characterized in that the plug (3) is held in a recess   (16) on a front face (17), connection side of the cable, of the box part   tier (15) lower and / or in that the printed circuit board (6) is   placed in the lower housing part (15).   11. Connection device according to claim 10, character-   laughed in that the printed circuit board (6) is held in the plane of the   the printed circuit board in the lower housing part (15).   12. Connection device according to any one of the claims.   1 to 11, characterized in that the housing (8) can be screwed to the communication device (2) and that, preferably, a screw (20, 21) is provided each side of the housing (8).   13. Connection device according to any one of the claims.   tions 7 to 12, characterized in that a locking tab which cooperates with a corresponding latching means of the socket (4) is provided on the plug (3) and in that the plug (3) is held on the housing (8) in such a way that the locking tab when assembling the parts of   case (14, 15) is deformed in order to make it impossible to   rusting with the latching means of the socket (4).   14. Connection device according to any one of the claims.   tions 7 to 13, characterized in that the strain relief device (9) is provided in the region of a recess (26) in a front face (27), connection side of the cable, of the housing part (15) lower and preferably is fixed to the front face (27) or is secured in the region of the front face.   15. Connection device according to any one of the claims.   1 to 14, characterized in that the anti-traction device (9) comprises   two bars which can be screwed or snapped together.   16. Connection device according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that an anti-kink sleeve (28) is provided and that preferably the anti-kink sleeve (28) is fixed in the recess. (26) in the front face (27), on the cable connection side, of the lower case (15).