WO2011018061A1

WO2011018061A1 - Contact pin for use on illumination means and method for the production thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2011018061A1
Application number: PCT/DE2010/000738
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hubert KLÜPFEL
Original assignee: Willy Kreutz Gmbh & Co. Kg
Priority date: 2009-08-10
Filing date: 2010-06-28
Publication date: 2011-02-17
Also published as: DE102009050569B4; WO2011018061A8; DE102009050569A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a contact pin (01) for use on illumination means and a method for the production thereof, wherein the contact pin (01) is formed substantially from a hollow cylinder (06), in which a wire can be brought into contact. The hollow cylinder (06) is produced from a section of a roll-formed sheet metal strip for this purpose, wherein the edges of the sheet metal strip form a gap (07) on the hollow cylinder (06) parallel to the longitudinal axis of the contact pin (01). The contact pin (01) preferably has a collar (08) and at least one tapered section (09).

Description

Contact pin for use on lighting means and method for its production

The invention relates to a method for producing a contact pin for use on lighting means, wherein initially a metal strip is formed into a tube and this is cut to the contact pin below.

Various methods for the production of contact pins are known from the prior art. A common method is to produce the contact pin contour from a rod material. This can be done first by a forming process and / or by machining. By this method, a great freedom of design for the shape of the contact pin is achieved. Among other things, the required tolerance in terms of the outer diameter can thus be achieved in a simple manner.

The disadvantage here, however, is the complex and expensive processing method. Since only short cycle times are possible, this leads to a high unit price of the contact pin. As an alternative, systems are known from the prior art, in which from a settlement of the contact pin by a plurality of successive forming processes of the finished contact pin is formed. The required development as starting material for the forming process is punched out of a sheet metal plate for each individual contact pin. The conversion from a planar material to the finished contact pin requires a variety of follower tools to create the round body. These many tools require the correspondingly frequent moving from one tool nest to another following tool nest. This requires complicated automation in order to enable economical production.

In order to keep the effort within limits, a plurality of contact pins is usually produced at the same time. For this purpose, remains during punching a plurality of developments via webs connected to a transport grid. Thus, the transfer from a tool nest into the following tool nest also takes place simultaneously for a plurality of contact pins. This measure is also required to ensure the necessary precision when inserting into the tool nest. This transport lattice can comprise both a plurality of developments as well as a plurality of deformation stages in the process sequence.

Regardless of the fact that a considerable cost advantage has already been achieved in contrast to the made of solid pin, the problem remains with the grid, which in turn means a large proportion of waste material used for the production of the contact pins.

In this respect, it is an object of the present invention, starting from the known system of the prior art with individually formed sheet metal pins this further develop to the effect that no waste is produced. This is realized by the inventive method according to claim 1 and in this case generates the contact pin according to the invention according to claim 10.

Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims. A method according to the invention is proposed for the production of contact pins for use on illuminants, with which the task of eliminating the waste is solved. An essential feature is the process sequence with a first forming process in which a continuous sheet metal strip is formed by profile rolling in several stages to form a substantially closed tube. This substantially endless tube is cut to length in a subsequent process step and thus forms the contact pin according to the invention.

Consequently, according to the invention, a contact pin is produced for use with lighting means, wherein the contact pin forms, at least in sections, a hollow cylinder. The hollow cylinder is required in order to be able to guide and contact a contact element, usually a wire, of the luminaire. An inventive feature of the contact pin is that this hollow cylinder is formed from a section of a profile-rolled sheet-metal strip. The result of the production process is that the edges of the metal strip form a gap on the hollow cylinder, the gap consequently being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the contact pin.

In general, the contact pin will be hollow throughout and is surrounded only by the lateral surface. However, it is also conceivable to provide the contact pin with further elements or further reshape.

As intended use of the contact pin, only illumination means are initially provided from the existing field of application. However, it is equally conceivable to use such a contact pin for other purposes. This is especially true for use in the functional task as on one side often without damage easily mounted plug contact for the preparation of an electrical connection, the second side is intended to be firmly connected to an electrical device or means. Thus, it is obvious that the term lighting means is not limited to lighting, but in terms of the purpose of the contact pin.

In an advantageous embodiment, the deformation in the first step is initially carried out by two, in particular more than two, first pairs of rollers. Here are the axes of the first pairs of rollers perpendicular to the plane of symmetry of the metal strip in the transformation. The plane of symmetry is in a perpendicular manner perpendicular to the metal strip and passes through the center of the metal strip or the tube formed below. As a result of the arrangement of the first pairs of rollers, a progressive deformation predominantly takes place in the direction perpendicular to

Metal strip reached. Advantageously, the edges of the sheet metal strip are first bent and form a first portion on both sides of the gap of the later resulting tube. Subsequently, the forming is continued until the middle of the metal strip. In a subsequent forming another, second pair of rollers is required to form the largely closed tube. In this case, the axes of the second roller pair are advantageously perpendicular to the sheet metal strip plane. The sheet metal strip plane is the plane that runs through the undeformed metal strip. By this arrangement it is achieved that the partially formed to the pipe sheet metal strip is further closed and a tube is formed with a groove.

It should be noted that advantageously the roller pairs are in each case aligned parallel or perpendicular to the sheet-metal strip plane. However, it is also possible to reject it to a small extent and to replace a required pair of rollers by a plurality, at least two, alternately on both sides of the parallel or vertical axis can be arranged, for example, 10 ° pivoted to the left and in the following 10 ° to the right.

In order to achieve an exact cylindrical shape, the first process step is extended in a particular embodiment in the following to additionally provide contour smoothing after the forming. For this purpose, the largely closed tube is guided with groove from the previous forming process through a first receptacle. Through this recording, the diameter of the tube is reduced and the existing groove is reduced in width. Accordingly, the receptacle has a diameter in the exit of the receptacle, which is less than that

Diameter of the supplied tube before recording. For supporting and centering, a cylinder comes to rest inside the tube. This is not exactly to be understood as a cylinder, inasmuch as there is a slight conicity, which is reduced from the tube inner diameter before this process step to the tube inner diameter after the process step. The connection of the cylinder is advantageously carried out before recording, wherein the cylinder is connected via a connection through the groove in the tube fixed to the first receptacle.

To produce the necessary tolerance accuracy of the tube, this tube with a reduced groove width is guided in the following in a further process step through a second receptacle. For this purpose, in particular a tensile force is applied after the second shot to the finished calibrated tube. As a result, an exact outer diameter is achieved with the required tolerances. If the groove width has not previously been reduced to the minimum in the process step, the groove width is reduced to the gap at the latest during this calibration process, during which the two edges of the sheet metal strip substantially touch each other.

It should be noted that in the technical embodiment, the first receptacle and the second receptacle structurally form a unit. In the contact pin forms a first end, a contact portion, the intended plug-in contact and is designed to be assembled and disassembled many times. A second end, a mounting portion on the other side of the contact pin, is provided to be fixedly connected to the electrical component.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the first end is slotted by means of a saw cut. Thus, at least two or more slots are introduced into the end of the contact pin at the first end. In the standard version as a contact pin, it is necessary that the first end of the contact pin has a tapered end in the manner of an insertion bevel to allow safe easy use of the contact pin. For this purpose, a taper is advantageously formed at the first end by means of a further process step. This is done in a simple design by a compression process.

In addition, the taper is provided to connect the conductor or the cable by soldering or welding to the contact pin in the region of the taper. If the first end of the hollow cylinder is first slotted at the first end, this facilitates the diameter reduction.

If special accuracies with regard to the inner diameter in the area of the welding with the wire are required, it is also possible to subsequently calibrate the taper through mandrels or, if necessary, to machine it by a cutting process. The first end is particularly intended to create the taper at the fusion with the wire. In this process, the end is further rounded so that a safe and easy installation in the application of the contact pin is given. When used as a contact pin in lighting means, the assembly in this lighting means is simplified in that a covenant in approximately the middle of the contact pin, or, depending on the embodiment in deviating position, is present. This collar forms a stop, which defines the exact axial position in the manufacture of the lighting means on the one hand when inserting the contact pin in the intended opening in the lighting means. On the other hand, the federal government forms the fixation of the contact pin in the lighting means when it is fastened by means of rivets therein. This collar is created by a compression process of the contact pin. As a result, the length of the abgesägten pipe section is reduced, and the sleeve expands locally forming the radially projecting collar. Alternatively, it is also possible to provide this process step before, if used, process steps of sawing and upsetting to form the taper. In this regard, the order is irrelevant. Optionally, the compression processes to form the taper and to form the collar can also be done simultaneously.

In a frequently encountered use of the contact pin this is vernet in the base of the electrical device or the lighting means. In this case, the sleeve of the contact pin is bent in the housing behind the wall to the outside. Therefore, it is advantageous if the Nietansatz consists of several segments instead of a hollow cylinder. Accordingly, slits are advantageously introduced into the sleeve at the second end. This can be done in a simple manner by a saw cut, which generates parallel to the axis with a cut two slots. A slot is already formed by the gap being present in the sleeve.

In order to enable easy mounting of the contact pin in the socket in the manufacturing process of the electrical means, it is advantageous if in a further method step, the second end is formed into a cone. The cone is not as accurate in a natural way To understand rotary envelope surface, since this is formed by the bending of the segments in the radial direction inwards.

In a further use, it is also possible to pour the contact pin in an injection molded part. For this purpose, advantageously at the second end an anti-rotation and pull-out protection is generated, which is represented in the form of wings, which are produced by bending the segments.

Although the component is virtually burr-free by the method according to the invention, the contact pin can be deburred by a subsequent final method step.

As a starting material for this process according to the invention, a straight sheet metal strip is required. Of less importance is the length of the metal strip, with a greater length being more advantageous than a shorter length, in so far as fewer process interruptions are the result. The metal strip may optionally be designed as a flat sheet material, but is advantageously supplied wound up on a coil. In this respect, it is necessary in a step before the actual deformation of the tube to unwind the metal strip from the coil and straighten it by a system so that it can be fed to the process step according to the invention.

By means of the method according to the invention, it has been possible to produce a contact pin according to the invention which can be produced without waste and can thus be produced even more cost-effectively than the contact pin known from the prior art. In the following figures a possible use of the method according to the invention is outlined with the following steps:

Fig. 1 shows the first process with the deformation of the sheet metal strip to the pipe with gap; Fig. 2 shows a possible embodiment with further follow-up processes for forming an embodiment of the contact pin.

Furthermore, exemplary variants of contact pins are shown in the following figures: FIG. 3 shows various embodiments of a contact pin according to the invention;

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of an embodiment.

In Figure Ia is outlined that the output of the method according to the invention, a substantially straight sheet metal strip 02 is required. This can be straightened after settlement of a coil of a straightening system.

FIG. IbI sketches an expanded embodiment of the method according to the invention with the sequence of the forming by means of three first pairs of rollers 13a.1 & 13a.2 → 13b → 13c. The figure Ib2 outlined in the extended embodiment, the following transformation by means of a second pair of rollers 14.1 & 14.2 to the tube with a groove.

The figure IcI outlined in a further extended embodiment, the following deformation by means of a first receptacle 15, in which the tube is introduced with the groove 03 and after leaving the diameter and the groove width are reduced to the tube with a reduced groove 04. Inside the Pipe with the groove 03 is a cylinder 16 which is connected via a connection 17 with the receptacle (not shown).

The figure Ic2 sketched in the further embodiment, the subsequent deformation by means of a second receptacle 18, in which the tube is introduced with a reduced groove 04 and after leaving the diameter to the nominal size and the groove width are reduced to the gap and thus the pipe with the Form gap 05. It is essential that this a tensile force is exerted on the tube with a gap and consequently the tube is pulled through the second receptacle.

In the figure 2 is an exemplary embodiment of a contact pin 01 with an exemplary sequence of advantageous for the production

Process steps shown. First, the tube is cut to length with the gap 05 and forms the hollow cylinder 06. This is slit in the following on a first side by means of sawing I I a. By a first

Upset process, the length is reduced, and a bunch 08 is created. By a second upsetting process, the first side is reduced, and there is a taper 09. Again, the component is now sawed on the second side, and in turn there arise a slot I Ib and corresponding segments. By a final forming process, the segments are bent inwards and form a cone 10th

3a shows an exemplary embodiment of a contact pin 01 consisting of the hollow cylinder 06, which has a gap 07 according to the inventive production. In about the middle of the collar 08, and at the first, lower end a taper 09 is shown. At the second, upper end of three segments 12 are formed, which are separated by slots 1 1 and the gap 07 and formed into a cone 10.

FIGS. 3b, 3c and 3d show further possible embodiments of contact pins 01.

FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the exemplary contact pin of FIG. 3a. It can be seen that the collar 08 projects radially beyond the hollow cylinder 06. Likewise, the gap 07 becomes clear, which runs over the entire contact pin length. To separate the segments 12 a saw cut is mounted, which generates two slots 1 1 with a cut.

Claims

claims

1. A method for producing a contact pin (01), in particular for use on illuminants, comprising the following method steps:

(A) forming a metal strip (02) by profile rolling in several stages to a substantially closed tube (03, 04, 05);

(B) cutting the straight tube (05) to form the contact pin in the form of a hollow cylinder (06).

2. The method according to claim 1,

characterized,

that in step (A)

(Aa) first a deformation by at least two, in particular more than two, first pairs of rollers (13) is performed, wherein the

Axes of the first pair of rollers (13) are perpendicular to the plane of symmetry of the metal strip (02) in the forming;

(Ab) and wherein in a subsequent deformation by at least one second pair of rollers (14) the sheet is at least substantially to a tube (03, 04, 05) is formed, wherein the axes of the second pair of rollers (14) perpendicular to the sheet metal strip plane (02) ,

3. The method according to claim 2,

characterized,

that after step (Ab) in step

(Ac) first a contour smoothing takes place, for which purpose the tube (03) is guided through a first receptacle (15), wherein in this case inside the tube (03), in particular before the first receptacle (15), a cylinder (16 ) comes to rest, wherein the cylinder (16) is fixedly connected to the first receptacle (1 5);

(Ad) and in the following the final calibration takes place, for which purpose the tube (04) is guided through a second receptacle (18), and wherein in particular a tensile force after the second receptacle (18) on the finished calibrated tube (05) is applied.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

characterized,

that after step (B) one end of the contact pin (06) is slotted by at least one saw cut (1 1).

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

characterized,

that after the step (B), a first end is compressed, wherein a taper (09) is formed.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5,

characterized,

that after step (B) by a compression process, the length of the tube (06) from step (B) is reduced and at the same time a radially projecting collar (08) between the two ends of the contact pin (01) is generated.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6,

characterized,

that after the step (B), a second end is slotted by at least one saw cut (1 1), wherein in particular the saw cut is offset parallel to the axis of the contact pin (01).

8. The method according to any one of claims 7,

characterized,

that after the previously applied step, the second end is deformed such that it forms a cone (10).

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8,

characterized,

in that, before step (A), the sheet-metal strip is unwound from a sheet metal coil and passed through a system, after leaving which the sheet-metal strip (02) is substantially straight in the strip direction.

10. contact pin (01) for use on lighting means, wherein the contact pin (01) at least partially forms a hollow cylinder (06) in which a contact element, in particular a wire, of the lighting means is contactable,

characterized,

in that the hollow cylinder (06) is formed from a section of a profile-rolled sheet-metal strip (02), the edges of the sheet-metal strip forming a gap (07) on the hollow cylinder (06) parallel to the longitudinal axis of the contact pin (01).

1 1. contact pin (01) according to claim 10,

characterized,

the contact pin (01) has at least one collar (08) in a region between the two ends, wherein the collar (08) forms a stop for the use of the contact pin (01) in the illumination means.

12. contact pin (01) according to claim 10 or 1 1,

characterized,

the contact pin (01) has a first end facing away from the illumination means, the first end having a taper (09).

13. contact pin (01) according to any one of claims 10 to 12,

characterized,

the contact pin (01) has a second end facing the illumination means, the second end having a plurality of

Segments (12) which are separated by slots (1 1), wherein in particular the slots (1 1) allow a bending of the segments (12) radially outward, so as to be able to fix the contact pin (01) on the lighting means can.

14. Contact pin (01) according to claim 13,

characterized,

a slot (11) is formed through the gap (07) on the hollow cylinder (06) and that at least two slots (11) lie in one plane, in particular a plane parallel to the axis of the contact pin (01).

15. contact pin (01) according to claim 13 or 14,

characterized,

the segments (12) are formed at the second end in the direction of the illumination means into a kind of cone (10).