WO2006050825A1

WO2006050825A1 - One-piece counter-contact element for an electrical flat connector and method for production thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2006050825A1
Application number: PCT/EP2005/011547
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christoph Oepen; Frank Schmitz
Original assignee: William Prym Gmbh & Co. Kg
Priority date: 2004-11-12
Filing date: 2005-10-28
Publication date: 2006-05-18
Also published as: DE102004054678A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a one-piece counter-contact element (10.1), for an electrical flat connector, whereby a unitary plate material with two parallel plates is formed into a U-shape. The plates (11) are connected by a plate web (13) and comprises a slot (30) running along the plates (11). Flanges are bent to run at a right angle to the plate plane from both plates (11), using the offcut from the slot. The surface of the plate material (20) forms contact surfaces for the flat connector on the flanges. The flanges are longitudinally offset from each other on both sides of the slot (30).

Description

One-piece mating contact element for a flat electrical connector and method for its production

The invention is initially directed to a one-piece mating contact element specified in the preamble of claim 1 and a method for producing such an element. Such mating contact elements are e.g. used as fuses in automobiles. In addition to an inexpensive production, it comes in the case of coupling on a good contact between the tab and mating contact element. For this reason, the prior art has sought manifold solutions, but these are unsatisfactory.

A first group of such mating contact elements is designed in several parts, wherein a part forms a sleeve into which the flat plug enters in the coupling case. These multi-part mating contact elements are expensive and cumbersome to produce.

It is also known (DIN 46340) to form a mating contact element with a sleeve-like receptacle for the tab in one piece. Here, opposite edge areas of a plate are rolled up. This creates two mutually mirror-inverted C-shaped partial cross-sections, which point with their free sheet edges against the intermediate plate remainder. The contact surfaces with the inserted tab arise on the one hand from the flat surface of the plate remainder and on the other hand from the rolled sheet metal edges, which must be post-processed. The refinement of the edges is difficult and, above all, expensive.

There are also one-piece mating contact elements are known, which consist in the contact area of a plate which is provided with a slot and serves as a plug-in receptacle for the tab (DE 198 08 727 Al). In order to improve the contact force, one has thereby provided the plate in the slot area with a U-föπnigen cutout, whereby in the contact area a fork spring and a bow spring integrated therein emerged. This counter-contact element may consist of a plurality of juxtaposed or superimposed plates, which are made together in one piece from a strip material. For contacting here serve the longitudinal edges of the slot or the longitudinal edges of the slot surrounding bow spring. The contacting via the slot edges impairs the current carrying capacity of the known counter-contact element. The sectional profile of the contact-effective slot edges generates a high contact resistance. Even if surface-finished strip material is used, the cut longitudinal edges of the slot must be post-finished. The refinement of such internal edges of the slot but, as already said above, technically difficult and prone to failure. At the slot edges it may come to the formation of burrs, which causes damage to the surface of the male tab. Surface damage, however, endangers the corrosion protection of the finished components.

A mating contact element according to the type mentioned in the preamble of claim 1 is known from CH 643 403 A5. The two plates go there from a Z-shaped angle piece, one Z-leg serves as a guide tab and extends at a distance from the two plates, while the other Z-leg serves as a terminal lug of the mating contact element. There are two contact projections which run in the plane of the two plates and form two lobes which narrow the inlet opening of the slot. A contact with the tab results only at the tips of the nose. As a result, the current carrying capacity is low.

The invention is first based on the object to develop a low-cost counter-contact element referred to in the preamble of claim 1 species, which has a good contact with respect to the blade to be coupled and is characterized in particular by a large current carrying capacity. This is inventively achieved by the measures listed in claim 1, which have the following special significance. Instead of contacting edges or nose tips for the prior art tab, the invention uses flanges in the region of the slot which form large contact areas and therefore have high current carrying capacity. Such flanges are easily and quickly produced by punching and bending the plate material. No additional material is required for the flanges, because the slot waste created during cutting of the slot is used for this purpose. As a result, there is less slot waste in the counter-contact element according to the invention. The contact surfaces on the flanges are created from the surface of the plate material. The contact surfaces are made simple and reliable before the production of the mating contact element of the strip material or generated after the formation of the mating contact element.

As already mentioned, the invention is also directed to a method for producing such a counter-contact element. The peculiarity of this method is stated in claim 25 and explained in more detail in the following claims 26 to 30. This results in cost advantages in the production. It suffices to have a local special coating in the area of the flanges of this strip material to be produced.

A longitudinal offset of the opposing flanges on the two longitudinal edges of the slot ensures a defined plan positioning of the surfaces of the tab on the one hand and the flanges of the mating contact element on the other. Therefore, damage to the plug during engagement and disengagement with the mating contact element according to the invention is not to be feared. There are no sharp edges or burrs on cut edges that could come into contact with the tab.

The two plates of the inventive counter-contact element form with the plate web a U-section profile according to claim 12. Due to the plate web different bending properties arise with respect to the separated by the two slots parts of the mating contact element. In such a mating contact element, there is a bending-joyful element upper part and a relatively rigid element lower part. These different ones Shaping strengths promote the contacting of the mating contact element according to the invention with the engaged flat plug.

Further measures and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, the following description and the drawings. In the drawings, the invention is shown in several embodiments. A first embodiment is shown in Figs. 1 to 8. Show it

1 is a perspective view of the contact region of a counter-contact element according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a side view of the entire mating contact element of FIG.

1 before its connection with a conductor wire,

2 shows a front view of the mating contact element of FIG. 2 in the direction of arrow III or a plan view in the direction of arrow IV of FIG. 2,

5, 6 + 7 cross-sectional views through the mating contact element of FIG.

2 along the section line V, VI and VII and

8, in perspective view, the contact region of the counter-contact element according to the invention of FIGS. 1 to 7 together with the mating contact region of a flat connector engaged therein.

The inventive method for producing such a counter-contact element is based on the

Fig. 9 explained in more detail. There is shown a portion of a tape product, from the band material a flock of adjacent mating contact elements is generated, which then only need to be isolated. Two other embodiments are shown only fragmentary. Show it

1a and 10b show a side view and a cross-sectional view along the section line Xb-Xb through a section of the mating contact element already described in the first embodiment, when its flange is designed in a different way, and

Fig. L l a + l lb, in a similar representation as in FIGS. 10a and 10b, a further embodiment of the flange formation of a contact element according to the invention.

1 to 3 is integrally formed from a plate material 20 and can be divided into a contact portion 21 for a fragmentarily recognizable from Fig. 8 tabs on the one hand and in a terminal portion 22 for a conductor wire not shown in detail. The three first embodiments according to the invention 10.1, 10.2 and 10.3 of the mating contact element according to the invention have in the contact region 21 a basically matching construction of two plates 1 1, 12. The two plates 11, 12 are due to their one-piece at one outer contour 14 at the 13 marked Place interconnected. This is in the illustrated embodiment 10.1 of a web 13. This gives the mating contact element 10.1, seen in front view of FIG. 3 or in cross section according to FIG. 5 to 7, a U-profile 16. It is understood that instead of a stack 13 the Connection could also be designed differently, eg consist of a vertex edge between the two plates 11, 12, whereby then the mating contact element would receive a V-profile in cross section.

In the present case, the web 13 extends substantially perpendicular to the two plates 11, 12, but could also be formed as required arcuate. Further, the two plates 11, 12 extend in the embodiment shown substantially parallel to each other and finally have each other in the essentially parallel Lähgslinien 14, 15 at its upper and lower outer contour. Thus, in U-section, the two plates 11, 12 form the U-legs to the U-web 13 connecting them.

In the contact region 21, both plates 11, 12 are each provided with a slot 30. The two slots 30, 30 are designed in the present case not only to each profile profile, but also aligned with each other. Both slots 30 can therefore be described together. The slots 30 extend in the insertion direction 17 of the tab 40, but have mutually different, profiled slot longitudinal edges 31, 32. The longitudinal profile 31, 32 of the slot 30 tapers, as shown in FIG. 2, to the slot bottom 33 out.

While in the prior art, as explained above, the slot longitudinal edges 31, 32 served for contacting the tab 40, which are thus the cut edges of the plate material 20, special flanges 34, 35 are used in the invention. These flanges 34, 35 are formed, as can best be seen by the dashed and dotted lines in FIG. 5, from the waste 36, which normally results from the punching of the slot 30 in the two plates. This slot-down case 36 is used in the invention in places to form the flanges 34, 35. The flanges 34, 35 remain, as shown in FIG. 5 on the one hand and Fig. 6 on the other hand, in connection with the upper slot longitudinal edge 31 and with the lower slot longitudinal edge 32. The flanges 34, 35 arise simply in that longitudinal sections of Slot-Ab case 36 in the direction of the arrows 39 of Fig. 5 and 6 from the dash-dot lines 23, 24 clarified plate planes of the two plates 11, 12 are angled. In the present case, the flanges 34, 35 extend on the same side with respect to the respective plate plane 23, 24. In addition, the respective flanges 34, 35 of both plates 1 1, 12 to the outside, ie from the U-space of the cross section 16 of FIG path.

The two-sided flanges 34, 35 are flat in the first embodiment 10.1 and extend, as can be seen from Figs. 5 and 6, substantially perpendicular to the respective plate planes 23, 24. The special feature of the flanges 34, 35 is how was already highlighted in the fact that they contact surfaces 37, 38 formed by the surface 25 of the plate material. Such surfaces can be finished well. As can be seen particularly well from FIG. 8, the contact surface 37 of the flange 35 interacts with the one surface side 41 of the tab 40, while the mating contact surfaces 38 of the mating flange 35 contact the opposing surface side 42 of the tab 40 in terms of area,

In the present case, only three flanges 34, 35 are produced per plate 11, 12. It is understood that the number of flanges could be multiplied or decreased. Of the three flanges, one flange 35, as shown in Fig. 2, is seated at the upper longitudinal slot edge 31 and the other two flanges 34 at the lower longitudinal slot edge 32, which then form a pair of flanges 34, 34 there. Of particular importance is further that these flanges 34, 35 - seen in the longitudinal direction of the slot 30 - are arranged alternately to each other, so seen in plan view of Fig. 4, in the longitudinal offset 26, 27 to each other. The individual flange 35 is in each case arranged "in gap" with respect to the pair of flanges of the two counter-flanges 34. As a result, the opposite surface sides 41, 42 of the tab 40, which can be seen in FIG. 8, have the associated flange contact surfaces 37 in different zones. 38. The contact pressure is effected by the partial plates of the two U-legs 11, 12 which are located on both sides of the slot 30 and which have a fork shape which is best seen in Fig. 2. In the present case, however, the two fork-tines have a bending behavior which differs from one another. as can be seen particularly well with reference to FIGS. 3, 5 and 6.

While the lower plate parts of the two U-legs 1 1, 12 connected by the U-web 13 _§ with each other, in the opposite plate area separate plate pieces 28, 29 before. This has a decisive influence on the bending behavior. The two separate plate pieces 28, 29 are bendable in the sense of an extension of the slot 30. The two interconnected by the U-web 13 remaining pieces of the two plates 11, 12, however, are relatively rigid. Because of the aforementioned distribution of the three flanges 34, 35, the flange pair 34, 34 is relatively rigid Lower part 18, while the single flange 35 is part of the upper part 19. It is understood that the distribution of the flanges could also be designed differently.

To the stiffening of the lower part 18 also carries a visible from Figs. 6 and 7 bead 43 in the U-web 19 at. The bead 43 extends in the opposite direction to the legs of the U-section. The bead 43 thus has concave into the U-interior 16. On the outside of the U-web 43 from the U-section 16 is formed by the bead

43 a concave longitudinal channel.

In order to form the bending stiffness targeted, one or both plates 1 1, 12 could be provided with further, not shown in detail beads. It is preferable to use the separate upper plate pieces 28, 29 of the above-described upper part 19 for these further beads. In order to define the flexural rigidity, such additional beads extend at least in regions parallel to the direction of progression of the slot 30 in the plates 11, 12.

The production of the mating contact elements 10.1 according to the invention is preferably carried out of a band product 44, the original band shape in Fig. 9 is partially drawn out, partly indicated by dash-dotted lines. The material 45 of this bandware 44 serves to form the above-described plates 11, 12 and webs 13 of a plurality of successive mating contact elements 10.1. In this band product 44 adjacent counter contact elements 10.1 are generated by continuous punching and bending, which initially sit on separable bridges 46 on a remaining, serving for transport tape rest strip 47. It is noteworthy that the bending lines 49 marked 49 in FIG. 9 for the U-legs 11, 12 described above and for the flanges extend transversely to this rolling direction 48 ,

Such a preparation of the mating contact elements 10.1 allows in a particularly inexpensive manner, the above-described contact surfaces 37, 38 of the flanges 34, 35 form in a refined manner, without the remaining surface areas of the tape product

44 undergo a similar complex treatment. It is enough, if only the longitudinal zones 50 of the band goods 44 illustrated by dot lines in FIG. 9 are provided with corresponding special surfaces. The residual zone 51 of the band product 44 does not require this treatment.

Such a special surface in longitudinal flange zones 50 may be e.g. made of a coating of the strip material 45, which generates there a defined layer thickness. Such a special surface is produced in the strip material by longitudinal zones made of precious metal or of high-quality alloys. However, so-called "roll-plating" of the band-ware 44 is also possible for the production of the special surfaces. <br /> <br /> In the roll cladding, one uses noble metal or higher-grade alloys than the remaining band material 45.

As already mentioned, FIGS. 10a and 10b show, with reference to a fragment, a second exemplary embodiment 10.2 of the countercontact according to the invention. It is sufficient only to the differences compared to the first embodiment 10.1 of Fig. 1 to 9 to enter, while in other respects the previous description applies.

The difference in the counter-contact element 10.2 is caused by a different shape of the flanges. Angled at the local plate 11.2 of the flange 52 produced there. The flange 52 has, viewed transversely to the slot profile, an arcuate cross-section 54. This results in a curved surface 55 instead of a flat contact surface 37, 38 of the preceding embodiment. On this curved lateral surface 55 of the contact point with the tab 40 depending on the insertion movement 17 and the bending behavior of the above upper and lower parts 19, 18 wander , Such an arcuate profiling could also run in the longitudinal direction of the slot.

It would be possible to apply the profilings running in the longitudinal direction of the slot and in the transverse direction of the slot at the same time, which can be seen from the third exemplary embodiment 10.3 of FIGS. 11a and 11b. Figures 10a, 10b are shown in a manner consistent with the second embodiment. One recognizes sections of a plate 1 1.3. The associated flange 53 is as said, both longitudinally and transversely profiled, whereby a contact surface 56 in the form of a spherical portion for the tab 40 of Fig. 8 is formed.

In the first exemplary embodiment 10.1, the connection region 22 is configured as a so-called "crimping region." It is understood that instead of such a crimping region, it would be possible to connect the electrical conductor by clamping or by soldering to the associated plate or plates 22 could also be used as a plug-in area for another element.

The counter-contact element described can be used, for example, as part of a fusible conductor in a fuse in the automotive field. It is understood, however, that the mating contact element 10.1 according to the invention could also be used in other cases where it depends on the coupling of tabs 40. In the former application, there is a housing not shown in detail, in which the mating contact element 10.1 is inserted and then locked there in the desired position in the housing. For a visible from Fig. 2 and 4 locking lug 57 serve, which is positioned in the present case on the web 13 of the two plates 1 1, 12. It is understood that the latching lug 57 or a plurality of locking lugs could have any other shape and position.

S u b e c ia l e s:

10.1 first exemplary embodiment of a mating contact element (FIGS. 1 to 9)

10.2 second embodiment of a mating contact element (FIGS. 10a, 10b)

10.3 third embodiment of a counter-contact element (Fig. I I a, I Ib)

10.4 fourth embodiment of a counter-contact element (FIG. 12)

11 first plate of 10.1, first U-leg

11.2 Plate for 10.2

11.3 plate for 10.3

1 1.4 single plate of 10.4 (Fig. 12)

12 second plate of 10, second U-leg

13 connection between 1 1, 12, U-bridge

14 first longitudinal line of the lower outer contour of 11 or 12 (FIGS. 1, 2)

15 second longitudinal line of the upper outer contour of 1 1 or 12 (FIG. 1, T)

16 U-section of 10.1 (FIGS. 3, 5, 7)

17 plug-in direction of 40 (FIGS. 2, 8)

18 lower part of 10 (FIGS. 1, 3)

19 upper part of 10 (FIGS. 1, 3)

20 plate material from 10.1

21 contact area of 10.1 (FIGS. 2, 4)

22 connection area of 10.1 (FIGS. 2, 4)

23 board level of 11

24 board level of 12

25 surface of FIG. 20 (FIGS. 5, 6)

26 longitudinal offset between 34, 35 (FIG. 4)

27 longitudinal offset between 35, 34 (FIG. 4)

28 upper plate piece of 12 (Figs. 5, 6)

29 upper plate piece of FIG. 11 (FIGS. 5, 6)

30 slot in 1 1, 12th

30.4 Slot in 1 1.4, plate breakthrough (Fig. 12)

31 first, upper longitudinal edge of 30, longitudinal profile

32 second, lower longitudinal edge of 30, longitudinal profile Slot bottom of 30 (Figure 2) Flange at 32, Flange pair flange Flange at 31, Single flange Slot drop from 30 Pad contact area from 35 for 40 Pad contact area from 34 Draft bend arm from 36 to 34 and 35 respectively (Figure 5) 6) tabs (Figure 8) first tabs of 40 (Figure 8) second tabs of 40 (Figure 8) beads in Figure 13 (Figures 6, 7) tape stock for 10.1 (Figure 9) tape stock (Figure 9) Bridge between 47, 10.1 (Figure 9) Tape remnant strip of 44 (Figure 9) Arrow of the rolling direction of 44 (Figure 9) Bend line for 11, 12, 34, 35 in Figure 44 (Figure 9) Longitudinal zone of Figure 44 for Figure 34 35 (FIG. 9) remaining zone of 44 (FIG. 9) alternative flange (FIGS. 10 a, 10 b) further modification of the flange (FIGS. 11 a, 11 b) arcuate cross section of 52 (FIGS. 10 a, 10 b) convex contact surface of FIG 52 (FIGS. 10a, 10b) ball-section-like contact surface on 53 (FIG. 1a, 1b) latching nose on 10.1 or 13 (FIGS. 2, 4)

Claims

Claims:

1.) One-piece mating contact element (10.1, 10.2, 10.3) for an electrical tab (40) with at least two parallel plates (11) in the contact region (21), which are integrally formed from a uniform plate material (20),

with an open, in the direction of the plates (11) extending slot (30) in the plates (11), in which the tab during coupling is plugged (17),

and with contact projections on the longitudinal edge (31, 32) of the slot (30) which contact the engaged tab,

characterized ,

in that the contact projections consist of flanges extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the plate, which are formed from the slot (36) when the slot (30) is formed, and contact surfaces (37, 38) for the associated one from the surface of the plate material (20) Produce tabs,

the flanges (35) seated at one slot longitudinal edge (31) are longitudinally offset (26, 27) relative to the flanges (34) at the other longitudinal edge (32),

in that the two plates (11, 12) are connected to one another at their one, in the direction of the slot extending plate outer contour (14) by a plate web (13) which determines the parallel distance between the two plates (11), and that the slot (30) divides the mating contact element (10.1, 10.2, 10.3) into two parts (18, 19) which are different in bending strength from each other,

namely, a relatively rigid, the plate web (13) having element lower part (18) on the one hand

and a flexible, consisting of the unconnected plate pieces (28, 29) element upper part (19) on the other.

2.) mating contact element according to claim 1, characterized in that the flanges (34, 35) protrude at both longitudinal edges (31, 32) of the slot (30) on the same side of the plate plane (23).

3.) mating contact element according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flange (34, 35) is substantially planar.

4.) mating contact element (10.2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flange (52) has an arcuate, transverse to the slot profile oriented profile (cross-sectional profile) which produces a convex contact surface (55) relative to the tab (40).

5.) mating contact element according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the flange has an arcuate, pointing in the direction of the slot profile longitudinal profile, which generates a convex contact surface with respect to the tab (40).

6.) counter contact element (10.3) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the flange (53) is both longitudinally and transversely profiled and a Contact surface in the form of a spherical section for the tab (40) generated.

7.) mating contact element according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at the two separate plate pieces (28, 29) of the element upper part (19) a single flange (35) sits, while the element lower part (18) a pair of flanges (34) on its two plate legs carries.

8.) mating contact element according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the longitudinal edges (31, 32) of the slot (30) are profiled in itself.

9.) counter-contact element according to claim 8, characterized in that the longitudinal profile of the slot (30) tapers towards the slot bottom (33).

10.) mating contact element according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the slots (30) of the two plates (1 1, 12) are aligned.

11.) mating contact element according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the two longitudinal lines (14, 15) of the outer contour of the two plates (11, 12) extend substantially parallel to each other.

12.) mating contact element according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that - seen in the direction of the slot (30) - the mating contact element (10.1) has a U-section (16), whose U-legs of the two plates (11, 12) are formed and the U-web, the compound (13) between the two plates (H ₃ 12) generated.

13.) counter-contact element according to claim 12, characterized in that the U-legs are substantially perpendicular to the U-web (13).

14.) mating contact element according to claim 12, characterized in that the U-web is formed by the U-shaped cross-section like an arc.

15) counter-contact element according to claim 12, characterized in that the U-web (13) is provided with at least one longitudinal bead (43).

16) counter-contact element according to claim 15, characterized in that the bead (43) extends in the U-web (13) in the direction of the two U-flanges.

17.) mating contact element according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that at least one bead is arranged in the plate.

18) counter-contact element according to claim 17, characterized in that the bead located in the plate is located in the element upper part.

19) counter-contact element according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that the bead extends at least partially parallel to the direction of the slot.

20) counter-contact element according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the mating contact element (10.1) next to the contact region (21) has a crimping region.

21.) mating contact element according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the mating contact element in addition to the contact region has a clamping region.

22.) mating contact element according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the ^• mating contact element in addition to the contact region has a soldering area.

23.) mating contact element according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that the mating contact element in addition to the contact region has a plug-in area.

24.) counter-contact element according to one of claims 1 to 23, characterized in that the plate or plates (11, 12) and / or the connection (13) between the plates (11, 12) has a latching nose (57), the for anchoring the counter-contact element (10.1) in a housing.

25.) Method for producing a mating contact element (10.1) according to one of claims 1 to 24,

wherein a group of mating contact elements (10.1) are produced in a continuous band (44) next to each other and then separated, characterized,

in that the bending lines (49) for forming the U or V cross section (16) of the individual mating contact elements (10.1) in the band product (44) extend transversely to the rolling direction (48) of the band product (44).

26.) Process according to claim 25, characterized in that those longitudinal zones (50) of the strip material (45) of the band product (44), in which the flanges (34, 35) are produced, have a special surface.

27) Method according to claim 26, characterized in that the band product (44) in the flange longitudinal zone (50) is provided with a layer of defined thickness.

28.) Process according to claim 26, characterized in that the special surface of the flange longitudinal zone (50) is formed by the strip material (45) of noble metal or higher-grade alloys.

29.) Method according to claim 26, characterized in that the special surface of the longitudinal flange zone (50) is produced by the strip material (45) by a roll cladding embedded in the strip fabric.

30) counter-contact element according to claim 29, characterized in that the roll cladding is produced from precious metal or higher-grade alloys.