Plug connector

Abstract

The invention relates to a punch-die cut plug connector with punch-die edges and roll sides, having a clamping section for anchoring the plug connector in a connector holder, a connector fork composed of two connector arms with spring-return elasticity which form a receiving space between themselves, the connector arms having punch-die edges facing one another, the first end of the connector arms projecting relative to the clamping section and the second end of the connector arms each forming a connector apex with roll sides facing one another by deformation of the second connector arm end, the clamping section and the roll sides of the connector arms being oriented parallel and arranged in a common plane, a stop formed by the punch-die edges of the clamping section facing the receiving space, a parting line arranged centrally between the connector apexes and vertically parting the receiving space in the direction of the clamping section, the clamping section having a recess in the region of the starting point of the respective connector arm, so that the stop projects into the receiving space in the direction of the connector apexes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a plug connector, the plug connector being punched from a strip, the plug connector having a punched edge and a rolled side, the plug connector having:

[0002] A clamping section for anchoring the plug connector in the connector holder;

[0003] The connector fork is composed of two connector arms with spring-return elasticity that form a receiving space between themselves. The connector arms have punched edges facing each other. The first end of the connector arm protrudes from the clamping section and the second end of the connector arm is respectively constructed as a connector vertex. The connector vertex has roll-pressed sides facing each other due to the deformation of the end of the second connector arm.

[0004] The clamping section and the joint arm have roller pressing sides that are oriented parallel to each other and arranged in a common plane;

[0005] A stop portion, the stop portion being formed by a punched edge of the clamping section facing the receiving space;

[0006] A dividing line is centrally located between the apexes of the joint and vertically divides the receiving space in the direction of the clamping section. Background Technology

[0007] Such connectors are often inserted side-by-side into the connector housing of the plug connector to create a plug connector with high contact density. Such plug connectors have the significant advantage that a large number of leads on the plug connector can be connected to mating connectors on a circuit board or other electronic components using a single plugging process.

[0008] For example, DE4330390A1 shows such a connector.

[0009] As plug connectors have evolved, they face miniaturization requirements in the voltage field, the need for electrical safety in high-current applications, and the necessity of power transmission. The reduction in the size of plug connectors leads to a decrease in the spacing between the connectors, thereby reducing the insulation clearance. The connectors themselves become narrower. This reduces the conductor cross-section, which limits the transmission of high currents. Simultaneously, the smaller connectors meet the requirements for the safe transmission of current and voltage to the mating connectors. A certain clamping force is required to establish contact with the mating connectors, which is related to the stiffness of the connector material and thus its strength. Particularly in plug connectors according to the RZST standard, there has been a growing trend towards replacing smaller plug connectors according to this standard without compromising contact safety and power transmission capabilities. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The object of the present invention is to provide a plug connector that provides a premise for making the plug connector smaller.

[0011] The present invention is achieved by a plug connector according to the invention, wherein the clamping section has a notch in the starting region of the corresponding connector arm, such that the stop extends into the receiving space toward the apex of the connector.

[0012] One possible use of the features of the characteristic section is to reduce the overall length of the connector while maintaining the effective length of the connector arm. Because the clamping section that holds the connector in the connector holder requires a certain minimum size, especially to stabilize the longer connector arm against lateral forces, reducing the length of the clamping section measured along the plug direction is not easily achieved.

[0013] By using a notch in the starting region of the corresponding connector arm, the position of the connector arm's starting point within the clamping section is recessed relative to the stop portion of that clamping section. This allows for a consistently effective connector arm length. Simultaneously, it is possible to retract the connector apex relative to the stop portion of the clamping section along the insertion direction. Thus, even with a shorter connector length, the spring properties of the connector arm are retained, provided the connector arm geometry remains unchanged.

[0014] However, in a corresponding application of the invention, it is also possible to extend the effective connector arm while keeping the connector length constant, in which only a notch is cut, without shortening the connector arm accordingly.

[0015] When each joint arm has a notch in its starting region that reduces the width of the joint arm measured along the roll side and perpendicular to the dividing line, it can particularly well influence, and in particular improve, the elasticity of the joint arm. It is significantly advantageous in terms of manufacturing technology that the notch of the clamping section transitions into the notch of the corresponding joint arm and, in particular, into two sections of the same circular line.

[0016] When, as further enumerated, the notch of the clamping section transitions into the cut of the corresponding joint arm, for example, when the two sections are portions of the same circular line or similar geometric extensions, a higher elasticity of the joint arm in its starting region is formed by reducing the width of the joint arm. This is particularly advantageous for the punching process used to manufacture the joint according to the invention, since only a single tool is required for the operation.

[0017] Furthermore, it is stipulated that the receiving space is narrowed by the direction of the connector arm toward the apex of the connector.

[0018] Therefore, the connector arms extend obliquely towards each other from their starting points until the distance between the connector arms at the connector apexes defines the required width of the plug gap. Thus, the connector is relatively wide at the starting point of the connector arms in the clamping section and relatively narrow in the region at the connector apexes. This design structure has significant advantages over connector arms that extend linearly along the insertion direction: the defined length of the connector arms occupies less structural space along the insertion direction. Consequently, it is possible to shorten the connector and thus the plug connector, or to achieve a longer connector arm while maintaining the same connector length.

[0019] Another possibility that affects, and particularly locally reduces or increases, the elasticity of the joint arm arises by having each joint arm with an outer punched edge with an outer stepped profile and an inner punched edge with an inner stepped profile between its starting point and its joint apex, especially if the inner and outer stepped profiles of each joint arm extend asymmetrically towards each other, thereby creating narrow and wide joint arm sections.

[0020] Particularly preferred is that the connector arm and / or the clamping section are constructed in a mirror-symmetric manner about the dividing line.

[0021] In order to apply a limited contact force and maintain the elasticity of the joint arm in the joint apex region as little as possible, it is specified that the joint arm is constructed with protrusions protruding in the direction of the receiving space directly before forming the deformable section of the joint apex.

[0022] The connector is also distinguished by the fact that the protrusion of the connector arm is positioned close to the dividing line and the starting point of the connector arm is positioned away from the dividing line, especially if the width of the connector arm constitutes its maximum value within the range of the protrusion.

[0023] In order to provide a clear reference surface during the punching process used to manufacture the joint, it is specified that the clamping section has a recess, in particular a circular hole.

[0024] The present invention also relates to a plug connector having a plug joint according to the present invention, characterized in that the joint holder is a two-piece type and the joint holder has a partition surface transverse to the plug direction. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Further advantages of the invention will become apparent from the subsequent description of the embodiments. In the accompanying drawings:

[0026] Figure 1 A first view of an exploded view of a plug connector having a connector according to the invention;

[0027] Figure 2 Showing according to Figure 1 A second exploded view of the plug connector;

[0028] Figure 3 A view showing the connector holder cover facing forward along the plug direction;

[0029] Figure 4 A front view of the connector according to the invention is shown;

[0030] Figure 5 Showing according to Figure 4 A side view of the connector according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0031] In the accompanying drawings, the connector according to the invention is generally provided with reference numeral 10.

[0032] The connector according to the invention is Figure 1 and Figure 2 A portion of the plug connector 100 shown in the figure has a connector base 110 and a connector base cover 111, which is constituted by means of a two-piece plug carrier.

[0033] Multiple connectors 10 according to the invention, arranged side-by-side, are supported in a connector holder. For this purpose, the connectors are tightly packed (see [link]). Figure 2 It is inserted into the connector holder cover 111 and held there securely by installing the connector holder bottom 110.

[0034] exist Figure 3 The connector holder shown, more precisely, in a view of the connector holder cover facing the rear side of the connector holder bottom 110, has an insertion opening 113 that forms two opposing channels 114 for receiving connector arms 11 and a clamping slot 115 for the clamping section 15 of the connector 10. The clamping slot 115 is defined by a retaining wall 116 along the insertion direction X of the connector 10 and is further defined by a lateral support tab 117.

[0035] Figure 4 and Figure 5 A connector 10 for a plug connector 100 according to the invention is shown, the connector having a connector fork 13 with two connector arms 11 positioned forward along the insertion direction X. The connector arms 11 form a receiving space 14 between themselves, into which a mating connector (not shown) can be recessed. A clamping section 15 is connected to the connector fork 13, and a connecting element 16 for engaging a supply line protrudes from the clamping section against the insertion direction X, the connecting element being exemplarily constructed here as a knife-shaped terminal element 17.

[0036] The joint 10 is punched out from the slab through a punching / bending process, such that the joint has a so-called rolled side and a punched edge. The rolled side corresponds to the slab surface, and the punched edge is formed by a punching tool that separates the joint from the slab. The punched edge extends substantially perpendicular to the rolled side.

[0037] The connector arm 11 is constructed with the connector apex 18 at the front along the insertion direction, the connector apex being constructed via the roll-pressed side of the connector 10. By deforming the connector arm 11 along the deformation line U, the roll-pressed sides face each other and point in the direction of the dividing line T, which is centrally located between the connector apexes 18 and oriented perpendicularly toward the clamping section 15.

[0038] The clamping section 15 is configured as a stop 19, which extends forward into the receiving space 14 in the insertion direction X and is constructed by correspondingly oriented punched edges of the clamping section 15. The stop 19 and the retaining wall 116 of the connector seat cover 111 (see...) Figure 3 The joints work together to define the insertion path of the connector 10 into the connector seat cover 111.

[0039] The roller side of the clamping section 15 is supported on the support plate 117 in the joint seat cover 111 to prevent the joint 10 from tipping over laterally in the joint seat.

[0040] The connector arm 11 protrudes from the clamping section 15. In the region where the connector arm 11 begins in the clamping section 15, the clamping section is provided with a notch 20, thereby shaping the stop 19 into the receiving cavity 14.

[0041] The corresponding connector arm 11 itself has a cutout 21. This cutout 21 reduces the width of the connector arm measured perpendicular to the cutting line T. The corresponding notch 20 of the clamping section 15 and the corresponding cutout of the connector arm 11 are achieved through a common arc. Figure 4 The dashed line S is marked schematically and without requiring structural accuracy in showing the division of notch 20 and notch 21.

[0042] The corresponding notch 20 in the starting region of the clamping section 15 of the connector arm 11 increases the effective length of the connector arm, which is particularly important in terms of its elasticity in the starting region. Furthermore, the elasticity of the connector arm 11 in its starting region is enhanced by the corresponding cut 21 and the accompanying material removal.

[0043] As mentioned earlier, the notch 20 provides increased freedom in connector design. The connector arm 11 can be shortened as required, resulting in a shortened structural shape of the plug connector 100. However, it is also possible that, due to the extension of the connector arm 11 through the notch 20, the elasticity of the connector arm 11 is increased only by its larger longitudinal extension dimension.

[0044] Regardless of notch 20, cut 21 also ensures the possibility of increasing the elasticity of the corresponding joint arm 11.

[0045] The elasticity of the connector arm 11 has a significant impact on the clamping force applied in the region of the connector apex 18 to a mating joint (not shown), such as a circuit board or contact blade. The clamping force is important in terms of both electrical and mechanical properties and must be considered in a metered and precise manner when designing the connector arm 11.

[0046] Therefore, the present invention further proposes that the width of the connector arm, measured transversely to the dividing line T, varies along the length of the connector arm. For this purpose, each connector arm 11 has a stepped outer contour A and a stepped inner contour I. Contours A and I can theoretically be constructed symmetrically to each other; however, the asymmetry between contours A and I allows for a limited variation in the width of the connector arm, thereby creating regions of greater and smaller elasticity. Thus, the elastic clamping in the connector arm 11 can be specifically adapted to the required clamping force in the region of the connector apex 18.

[0047] In this connector 10, the particularly rigid construction of the connector arm in the area directly behind the connector apex 18 or the deformation line U is ensured by the construction protrusion 22. Here, the width of the connector arm reaches its maximum value through the protrusion in the direction of the dividing line T, and thus achieves a particularly small elastic value.

[0048] In summary, the solution elucidated by this invention is how the structural space can be minimized by shortening the length of the connector measured along the plug direction, in order to reduce the retraction of the connector arm starting point at the clamping section 15. Furthermore, this invention points out different possibilities affecting the shortened connector arm 11 in terms of its elasticity.

[0049] The increased joint arm width through the protrusion also provides a safety function for the bending tool, which produces the joint apex 18 by deforming the blank along the deformation line U by approximately 90°.

[0050] Another important advantage of the connector 10 lies in the design of its connector apex 18. These connector apex align through deformation on the roll-forming side, while the connector arms point towards the mating connector with the blanking edge. Therefore, it can be applied to blanking strips / plates that have been finished on the roll-forming side, and the surface of the roll-forming side can be finished after deformation to form the surface of the connector apex 18. Thus, the complex re-finishing of the connector 10 can be eliminated.

[0051] List of reference numerals

[0052] 10 plug connectors

[0053] 11 Joint Arm

[0054] 13-joint support fork

[0055] 14 storage spaces

[0056] 15 clamping sections

[0057] 16 connecting elements

[0058] 17-blade terminal element

[0059] 18-connector apex

[0060] 19 Stop section

[0061] 20 notches

[0062] 21 incisions

[0063] 22 convex part

[0064] 100 plug connector

[0065] 110 connector base bottom

[0066] 111 Connector Base Cover

[0067] 113 Insertion opening

[0068] Channel 114

[0069] 115 clamping gap

[0070] 116 Keep the wall

[0071] 117 support splice

[0072] A Outer contour

[0073] I Inner Contour

[0074] S-shaped dividing line

[0075] T-separator line

[0076] U-shaped line

[0077] X insertion direction.

Claims

1. A plug connector (10), the plug connector being punched from a strip, the plug connector having a punched edge and a rolled side, the plug connector having: A clamping section for anchoring the plug connector (10) in the connector holder; The connector fork (13) is composed of two connector arms (11) having spring-return elasticity that form a receiving space (14) between themselves. The connector arms have punched edges facing each other. The first end of the connector arm protrudes relative to the clamping section (15) and the second end of the connector arm respectively forms a connector vertex (18). The connector vertex has roll-pressed sides facing each other by deformation of the end of the second connector arm. The clamping section (15) and the joint arm (11) are rolled sides, which are oriented in parallel and arranged in a common plane; The stop portion (19) is formed by the punched edge of the clamping section (15) facing the receiving space (14); A dividing line T is centrally located between the apexes (18) of the joint and vertically divides the receiving space (14) in the direction of the clamping section (15). The clamping section (15) has a notch (20) in the starting region of the corresponding joint arm (11), such that the stop (19) extends into the receiving space (14) toward the joint apex (18). Its features are, Measured along the roll side and perpendicular to the dividing line T, each joint arm (11) has a cut (21) in its starting region that reduces the width of the joint arm. The notch (20) of the clamping section (15) transitions into the cut (21) of the corresponding connector arm (11). The connector arm (11) narrows the receiving space (14) in the direction of the connector vertex (18).

2. The plug connector (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The notch (20) of the clamping section (15) and the cut (21) of the corresponding connector arm (11) are two sections of the same circular line.

3. The plug connector (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that, Each joint arm (11) has an outer punched edge with an outer stepped profile (A) and an inner punched edge with an inner stepped profile (I) between its starting point and its joint vertex (18).

4. The plug connector (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, The inner stepped profile (I) and outer stepped profile (A) of each joint arm (11) extend asymmetrically toward each other, thereby creating narrow and wide joint arm sections.

5. The plug connector (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The connector arm (11) and / or the clamping section (15) are constructed in a mirror-symmetric manner about the dividing line T.

6. The plug connector (10) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The joint arm (11) is constructed with a protrusion (22) protruding toward the receiving space (14) directly before the deformed section that forms the joint apex (18).

7. The plug connector (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The protrusion (22) is positioned close to the dividing line, and the starting point is positioned away from the dividing line.

8. The plug connector (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that, The width of the connector arm constitutes its maximum value in the region of the protrusion (22).

9. The plug connector (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The clamping section (15) has a recess.

10. The plug connector (10) according to claim 9, characterized in that, The recess is a circular hole.

11. A plug connector (100), said plug connector having: Two-piece connector holder, The connector holder base (110) and the connector holder cover (111) have a dividing surface between them that is transverse to the insertion direction. Multiple plug connectors (10) are held between the bottom (110) of the connector holder and the cover (111) of the connector holder. Its features are, The plug connector is the plug connector according to any one of claims 1 to 10. The stop portion (19) of the plug connector (10) cooperates with the retaining wall (116) of the connector seat cover (111) to define the insertion path of the plug connector (10) into the connector seat cover (111).

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