WO2015014714A1

WO2015014714A1 - Plug type connector having a chamber block and contact securing means

Info

Publication number: WO2015014714A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/065945
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christian Boemmel; Rolf Jetter; Andreas Wilkner
Original assignee: Tyco Electronics Amp Gmbh
Priority date: 2013-07-29
Filing date: 2014-07-24
Publication date: 2015-02-05
Also published as: DE102013214774A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a plug type connector (1) having a chamber block (5) which is constructed so as to have at least two receiving chambers (3) which extend in a receiving direction (A) through the chamber block (5) for an electrical contact element (7) in each case and each having a contact securing means (8) for securing the position of the contact element (7) in the receiving chamber (3) in the receiving direction (A). An object of the invention is to provide a plug type connector (1) in which smaller structural sizes than before are possible but which complies with the necessary mechanical requirements. According to the invention, this is achieved in that at least two contact securing means (8) which are associated with different receiving chambers (3) are arranged on a single monolithic catch tongue (10).

Description

Plug type connector having a chamber block and contact securing means

The invention relates to a plug type connector having a chamber block which is constructed so as to have at least two receiving chambers which extend in a receiving direction through the chamber block for an electrical contact element in each case and each having a contact securing means for securing the position of the contact element in the receiving chamber in the receiving direction.

Plug type connectors are intended to be constructed in the most compact manner possible. However, since plug type connectors also have to comply with specific mechanical requirements, a limit has been placed on the miniaturisation in previous embodiments. For example, contact elements must not be able to be pulled out of the receiving chambers when a specific tensile force acts on the cable which is connected to the contact element and the contact securing means secures the contact element. However, as the dimensions of the previous plug type connectors become ever smaller, the forces which can be received also decrease accordingly.

An object of the invention is to provide a plug type

connector in which smaller structural sizes than before are possible but which complies with the necessary mechanical requirements .

This is achieved according to the invention in that at two contact securing means which are associated with

different receiving chambers are arranged on a single

monolithic catch tongue. In contrast to the previously conventional embodiments in which each contact securing means is arranged on an

individual catch tongue, a catch tongue which has a plurality of contact securing means is wider and thereby more stable, in particular more resistant to bending. If, for example, a single cable which is connected to a contact element is pulled, higher tensile forces have to be applied until the catch tongue becomes deformed and the contact element can be moved out of the receiving chamber.

The solution according to the invention can be further

improved with the following developments and embodiments which are each advantageous per se and which can be freely combined with each other.

The catch tongues and/or the contact securing means may be integral with the chamber block. For example, it may involve a single injection-moulded component. In another embodiment, the catch tongues and/or the contact securing means and/or the chamber block may not be integral with each other. For example, the catch tongues may be fitted to the chamber block. The connection in this instance may be able to be repeatedly released without being destroyed or be able to be released only by being destroyed. For example, it may involve a plug type, adhesive or pressing connection. The same applies to the contact securing means. They may be fitted to the catch tongues and may be able to be released therefrom without being destroyed or by being destroyed. The contact securing means are connected to each other by means of the monolithic catch tongue. Preferably, the contact securing means are rigidly connected to each other since the stability is further increased thereby. A movement of one contact securing means may lead to a forced movement of the other contact securing means. The two contact securing means may be able to be redirected only together. In an alternative embodiment, the two contact securing means may be at least partially resiliently connected to each other. With an

appropriate selection of a material, a contact securing means may, for example, be redirected, whilst the second contact securing means continues to at least partially secure the contact element. Owing to the arrangement of the contact securing means on a single catch tongue, it is still possible in this instance to achieve a sufficiently high degree of stability, in particular a higher stability than with

individual catch tongues. In order to ensure automatic securing of the contact elements, the contact securing means may protrude at least partially into the receiving chambers in a force-free state. In order to introduce the contact elements into the receiving chamber, the contact securing means may, for example, be manually redirected whilst the contact elements are pushed into the receiving chambers. In particular, the contact securing means may be pretensioned in such a manner that they protrude at least partially into the receiving chambers in a force-free state and are actively redirected under the application of force in order to introduce the contact elements. If the contact securing means are no longer actively redirected, they can automatically move back and protrude into the

receiving chambers and thereby secure the contact elements. The contact securing means may also be constructed in such a manner that they are automatically redirected when the

contact elements are introduced and automatically engage with the contact elements when the contact elements have been introduced to a sufficient extent. In another embodiment, the contact securing means may also only be redirected by means of a selective movement so that they protrude into the receiving chambers. In particular, they may also be constructed so that they protrude into the receiving chambers only when a force permanently acts on them. In a force-free state, the contact securing means may then, for example, not protrude into the receiving chamber, whereby it is possible to remove the contact elements.

If the contact elements protrude from the receiving chambers, the above embodiments do not accordingly apply to the

receiving chambers, but instead to a spatial region which the contact elements surround. Thus, for example, the contact securing means may at least partially protrude into this spatial region in a force-free state. Such a spatial region may substantially be defined by a surface which envelopes the contact element. It may, for example, be cylindrical,

prismatic or parallelepipedal .

The contact securing means may be located at a free end of the catch tongue. Such a free end may face a non-movable base of the catch tongue. The contact securing means are thereby redirected to the maximum extent in each case when the catch tongue is redirected. In an alternative embodiment, the contact securing means may also be arranged between the free end and the non-movable base. In such an embodiment, the catch tongue may, for example, protect the contact elements along the entire length. Furthermore, such an embodiment may also be more stable than an embodiment in which the contact securing means are fitted to the free end. The contact tongue may be continuous from a non-movable base as far as the contact securing means over the entire width. Such a catch tongue may be more stable than an embodiment in which the catch tongue extends only partially in the region in the receiving direction between the contact securing means. However, a continuous catch tongue has more volume and

thereby involves higher material costs. It may therefore also be sufficient for the catch tongue not to be continuous but, for example, to have small holes or recesses. For example, a ladder-like or lattice structure of the catch tongue could be sufficient to ensure the required stability.

In the previously known embodiments, in which one catch tongue is used per contact securing means and per receiving chamber, the catch tongue often has reinforcement elements which protrude transversely relative to the receiving

direction and by means of which the catch tongue can also be redirected. These reinforcement elements, in the case of a plurality of catch tongues which are arranged one beside the other, each protrude at the same side. In the solution

according to the invention, it is possible to dispense with such lateral reinforcement elements. In the case of a

plurality of receiving chambers which are arranged one beside the other, there is thereby a smaller spatial requirement transversely relative to the receiving direction. In an advantageous embodiment, therefore, the width of the catch tongue measured transversely relative to the receiving

direction is smaller than twice the width of two catch

tongues which are not connected plus the spacing of the two catch tongues which are not connected. In this instance, the width is intended to be measured in the direction in which the receiving chambers and consequently the contact securing means are arranged one behind the other. In another advantageous embodiment, the height of the catch tongue measured transversely relative to the receiving

direction is smaller than the height of a corresponding catch tongue which is not connected. Since the monolithic catch tongue having the plurality of contact securing means ensures an increase of the stability by a specific factor, the height of the catch tongue can be reduced accordingly, with at the same time a higher level of stability than with individual catch tongues still being able to be achieved. The structural height and consequently the structural volume of a

corresponding plug type connector can thereby be reduced. The height is intended to be measured perpendicularly relative to the receiving direction and perpendicularly relative to the width direction. It may thus be measured in particular in the direction in which the contact securing means are redirected.

Since the catch tongue already provides an increased level of stability owing to its construction, the catch tongue may comprise a material which is less loadable and consequently in most cases more cost-effective and/or simpler to process. This affords the advantage that the material costs and/or the production costs are lower than with plug type connectors having more highly loadable materials.

Not only two, but also three or more contact securing means may be arranged on a single monolithic catch tongue. The above statements then apply in a correspondingly changed form. The solution according to the invention is particularly advantageous with very small plug type connectors. For

example, the receiving chamber may have a cross-section of one square millimetre or less. The force which a contact securing means according to the invention has to be able to receive without the contact element moving out of the

receiving chamber may be 20 N, preferably 30 N. In an advantageous embodiment, the entire chamber block is an injection-moulded component. Such an embodiment can be

produced in a particularly simple manner. Plastics materials, in particular thermoplastic plastics materials, can be used as the material.

The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to advantageous embodiments and with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described are merely possible embodiments, in which the individual features, as described above, can be combined independently of each other or omitted. Reference numerals which are the same in each case represent the same objects in the various drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an advantageous embodiment of a plug type connector;

Figure 2 is a partially sectioned, perspective and schematic view of an advantageous embodiment of a plug type connector according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a plug type connector 1 according to the invention. At the front side 2, the plug type connector 1 can be connected to a mating connector (not shown) . To this end, counter-contact elements of the mating connector are

introduced into the receiving chambers 3. At the rear side 4 which is illustrated at the rear, the chamber block 5 of the plug type connector 1 may be fitted to additional elements. In order to produce a sealing connection, seals 6 are provided. At the rear side 4, cables which are connected to contact elements 7 may protrude from the plug type connector 1. The contact elements 7 are arranged in the receiving chambers 3 and are retained therein by means of the contact securing means 8. The contact securing means 8 secure the contact elements 7 in the receiving direction A. In the receiving direction A, the contact elements 7 are also introduced into the receiving chambers 3.

In Figure 2, it can be seen that the contact securing means 8 are connected in a positive-locking manner to a counter-catch element 9 of the contact element 7 and a falling-out or moving-out action in the receiving direction A is thereby prevented .

At the left-hand side in Figure 2, a catch tongue 10 can be seen, as is already known in the prior art. A single contact securing means 8 is fitted to the catch tongue 10. If a cable which is fitted to a contact element 7 which is connected to the catch tongue 10 is pulled, the catch tongue 10 bends away with comparatively small forces and the contact element 7 can move out of the receiving chamber 3. In order to increase the stability of the catch tongue, it has a laterally arranged reinforcement element 11 which can also be used to redirect the catch tongue 10, in particular the contact securing means 8 which is arranged at a free end 12 of the catch tongue 10 and consequently to be able to remove the contact element 7. However, with smaller plug type connectors, a catch tongue 10 which is configured to have a reinforcement element 11 may also not be sufficiently stable to be able to absorb the forces which are required with specific tests. At the right-hand side in Figure 2, there is illustrated a catch tongue 10 according to the invention to which

relatively high forces may be applied before the contact element 7 moves out of the receiving chamber 3. According to the invention, there are arranged on the single monolithic catch tongue 10 two contact securing means 8 which are associated with different receiving chambers 3. A catch tongue 10 which is constructed in this manner is more stable than the catch tongue 10 which is illustrated at the left- hand side and which has only a single contact securing means 8. The catch tongue 10 according to the invention is wider than the previous catch tongue 10. It has in particular a greater resistance to bending.

The two contact securing means 8 which are arranged on the catch tongue 10 according to the invention are connected to each other in a rigid manner. A redirection of one contact securing means 8 leads to a redirection of the other contact securing means 8. Owing to the rigid construction, the catch tongue 10 is particularly stable and can absorb higher forces than an embodiment, in which the contact securing means 8 are at least partially resiliently connected to each other. The contact securing means 8 are arranged at a free end 12 of the catch tongue 10 and are redirected to the maximum extent when the free end is redirected. In another embodiment, the contact securing means may also be arranged further in the direction of a non-movable base 13. They would then be redirected to a lesser extent than the free end 12 when the free end 12 is redirected. The contact element 7 shown extends partially out of the receiving chamber 3. In order to secure the contact element, the contact securing means 8 therefore does not have to protrude into the receiving chamber 3. It is sufficient for the contact securing means 8 to protrude into the spatial region which is surrounded or defined by the contact element 7. In this instance, this spatial region is substantially parallelepipedal . If the contact element 7 were to be

completely arranged in the receiving chamber 3, the contact securing means 8, at least in a force-free state, could protrude into the receiving chamber 3 in order to secure the contact element 7. In order to automatically secure the contact element 7, it could be pretensioned in the direction of the receiving chamber 3 so that the contact element 7 is automatically secured when the redirection force is removed. In the embodiment shown here, a redirection of the free end 12 of the catch tongue 10 leads to a force which again presses the free end 12 towards the receiving chamber 3. In this instance, the contact element 7 is thus also

automatically secured when a redirecting force is no longer present and the contact element 7 is located in the correct position in the receiving direction A. The embodiment shown here enables introduction of the contact element 7 without having to further redirect the free end 12 of the catch tongue 10. The contact element 7 is pushed from the rear side 4 into the receiving chamber 3. In this instance, the contact element 7, owing to a wedge face 14 which extends in an oblique manner relative to the receiving direction A, redirects the free end 12 of the catch tongue 10. If the contact element 7 is located in the correct position with respect to the receiving direction A, the contact securing means A snap-fits into a recess 15 of the contact element 7 and consequently produces a positive-locking connection between the contact securing means 8 and the counter-catch element 9.

The catch tongue 10 shown here is continuous from the non- movable base 13 as far as the contact securing means 8 over the entire width B. The width B is measured in this instance in a width direction W which extends perpendicularly relative to the receiving direction A. The width direction W is the direction in which the receiving chambers 3 are arranged one behind the other. The contact securing means 8 are also arranged one behind the other in the width direction W.

Since no laterally arranged reinforcement elements 11 are necessary with the contact tongue 10 according to the

invention, the width B of the contact tongue 10 may be

smaller than twice the width K of the catch tongue 10 which has a single contact securing means 8, plus the spacing which two of these contact tongues 10 would have with respect to each other. The plug type connector may then be constructed so as to be more compact in the width direction W than a previous plug type connector.

The height H of the catch tongue 10 according to the

invention may be smaller than the height M of a previous catch tongue 10 since the catch tongue 10 according to the invention ensures a higher level of stability owing to its geometric configuration and the height can thereby be reduced, a still higher level of stability than before being able to be achieved at the same time.

The chamber block which is shown here is an injection-moulded component which is formed from a thermoplastic material.

Since the catch tongue 10 according to the invention is more stable than previous catch tongues 10, a less loadable

material than before can be used. On the one hand, this affords an advantage with respect to material costs since such materials may be cost-effective. On the other hand, a processing operation may thereby be more simple, whereby the production costs are reduced.

In the embodiment shown here, the two contact securing means 8 on the catch tongue 10 are associated with two adjacent receiving chambers 3. In other embodiments, the contact securing means 8 may also be associated with receiving

chambers 3 which are not adjacent.

The Figures show only one embodiment in which two contact securing means 8 are arranged on a catch tongue 10. Naturally, more than two contact securing means 8 may also be arranged on a single monolithic catch tongue.

In the embodiment illustrated, the contact securing means 8, the catch tongues 10 and the chamber block 5 are constructed integrally with each other. It involves a single injection- moulded component. In alternative embodiments, the contact securing means 8, the catch tongues 10 and the chamber block 5 may also not be constructed integrally. For example, the contact securing means 8 may be constructed as separate components, which are fitted to the catch tongues 10, for instance, by means of engagement, adhesive bonding or another releasable or non-releasable connection technique. The catch tongues 10 may also again be individual elements which are fitted to the chamber block 5.

The catch tongue 10 which is shown in the Figures is

continuous at the upper side 16 over the entire width B. In an alternative embodiment, the catch tongue 10 may also be constructed so as not to be continuous at the upper side 16. For example, holes or recesses may be present. The catch tongue 10 may, for instance, have a ladder-like or lattice structure.

List of reference numerals

1 Plug type connector

2 Front side

3 Receiving chamber

4 Rear side

5 Chamber block

6 Seal

7 Contact element

8 Contact securing means

9 Counter-catch element

10 Catch tongue

11 Reinforcement element

12 Free end of the catch tongue

13 Non-movable base

14 Wedge face

15 Recess

16 Upper side

A Receiving direction

B Width

W Width direction

Z Height direction

H Height

K Width of an individual contact securing means M Height of an individual contact securing means

Claims

1. Plug type connector (1) having a chamber block (5) which is constructed so as to have at least two receiving chambers (3) which extend in a receiving direction (A) through the chamber block (5) for an electrical contact element (7) in each case and each having a contact securing means (8) for securing the position of the contact element (7) in the receiving chamber (3) in the receiving direction (A) ,

characterised in that at least two contact securing means (8) which are associated with different receiving chambers (3) are arranged on a single monolithic catch tongue (10) .

2. Plug type connector (1) according to claim 1,

characterised in that the contact securing means (8) are rigidly connected to each other.

3. Plug type connector (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the contact securing means (8) protrude at least partially into the receiving chambers (3) in a force-free state.

4. Plug type connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the catch tongue is continuous from a non-movable base (13) as far as the contact securing means (8) over the entire width (B) .

5. Plug type connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the width (B) of the catch tongue (10) measured transversely relative to the receiving

direction (A) is smaller than twice the width (K) of two catch tongues (10) which are not connected plus the spacing of the two catch tongues (10) which are not connected.

6. Plug type connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the height (H) of the catch tongue (10) measured transversely relative to the receiving direction (A) is smaller than the height (M) of a

corresponding catch tongue (10) which is not connected.

7. Plug type connector (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the chamber block (5) is an injection-moulded component.