Push-in protective grounding plate, protective grounding assembly comprising same, and insert

Abstract

The invention relates to a push-in protective grounding plate for an insert, which comprises a plane part extending perpendicular to the insertion direction of the insert and a two-piece holding part formed on the plane part, wherein the two-piece holding portion is configured for holding the spring and the protective conductor and includes a first holding portion and a second holding portion. The invention also relates to a protective grounding assembly comprising the push-in protective grounding plate and an insert comprising the protective grounding assembly. Therefore, simple, rapid, reliable and shock-proof connection of the protective conductor is realized, the protective grounding plate is suitable for installation of a hard conductor and a soft conductor, and the protective grounding plate is simple in structure and easy to manufacture.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention is based on a push-in protective grounding plate, a protective grounding component thereof and an insert for a plug-in connector comprising the protective grounding component. Background Art

[0002] Currently, the most common wiring method on the market is screw wiring, which is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and may cause the screws to loosen during transportation. Therefore, since 2010, a new push-in wiring technology has gradually begun to be used in the field of electrical connections. This technology is simpler, more efficient, time-saving, labor-saving, and vibration-resistant. For example, EP3312940B1 knows a contact for a connector, which includes a protective grounding element, on which a contact device is provided, and the contact device has a housing with two sockets for inserting a protective conductor. When the protective conductor is inserted, the inflow end of the protective conductor with the insulation layer removed pushes the clamping edge of the spring element to one side. Therefore, the contact is only suitable for inserting rigid conductors, and the structure of the protective grounding element is very complex and difficult to manufacture. In addition, CN107968297B discloses contacts 2, 4 for plug connectors 1, 3, which have a frame member 20, at least one electrical contact element 211 and a grounding element 22 arranged on the frame member, a contact device 23 arranged on the grounding element 22, and the contact device has a housing 230 and a spring element 26 arranged on the housing, wherein the housing 230 directly contacts the spring element 26. In order to accommodate the spring element, in addition to the grounding element 22, it is necessary to additionally design the contact device with a housing. Summary of the invention

[0003] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an insert with a push-in protective grounding plate, which realizes a simple, fast, reliable and shock-resistant connection of the protective conductor, and is suitable for the installation of not only hard conductors but also soft conductors; the push-in protective grounding plate has a simple structure and low manufacturing cost, and only the protective grounding plate is needed to hold the spring.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a push-in type protective grounding plate for an insert, the push-in type protective grounding plate comprising a plane portion extending perpendicularly to the insertion direction of the insert and a two-piece retaining portion formed on the plane portion, the two-piece retaining portion being configured to retain a spring and a protective conductor and comprising a first retaining portion and a second retaining portion. The spring is retained between the first retaining portion and the second retaining portion.

[0005] In one embodiment, the first retaining portion is composed of a first wall and a second wall at right angles to each other, wherein the first wall is provided with a stopper, and the stopper and the corner portion of the first retaining portion together form a guide channel for the first leg of the spring. The spring can move along / against the plug-in direction under the guidance of the guide channel.

[0006] In one embodiment, the first wall is provided with an undercut portion for abutting against a lug of the first leg of the spring to limit movement of the spring against the plugging direction.

[0007] In one embodiment, the planar portion has an opening for the first leg of the spring to pass through.

[0008] In one embodiment, the second retaining portion has a first wall opposite to the first wall of the first retaining portion, which is configured to engage the second leg of the spring and provide a busbar in contact with the protective conductor. When the protective conductor is not installed, the first leg and the second leg of the spring are retained between the first retaining portion and the second retaining portion, and when the protective conductor is installed, the protective conductor is retained between the second leg of the spring and the second retaining portion. In one embodiment, the push-in protective grounding plate also includes a contact portion extending from the planar portion along the plug-in direction and two locking portions extending from the planar portion opposite to the plug-in direction S. The contact portion is used to electrically contact the protective grounding plate of the mating insert, and the locking portion is configured as a locking arm, which is used to lock on the corresponding locking step portion of the insert to lock the protective grounding plate on the insert.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, a protective grounding assembly is provided, comprising the push-in protective grounding plate, a spring and an actuator.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, an insert is provided, comprising a main body, a retaining plate, and at least one protective grounding component arranged on a side wall of the insert.

[0011] In one embodiment, the retaining plate is provided with a receiving portion for receiving the two-piece retaining portion, the spring and the actuator, wherein an inner wall of the receiving portion is provided with a stopper to prevent the actuator from falling from the receiving portion, wherein the receiving portion does not contact the spring.

[0012] In one embodiment, the main body is provided with a receiving portion for receiving the contact portion of the push-in protective grounding plate, and a groove is provided on the inner wall of the receiving portion for stopping the first leg of the spring to limit the movement of the spring along the plugging direction.

[0013] Through the design of the present invention, a quick connection of a hard / soft conductor can be achieved by using common tools (such as a screwdriver). Due to the lasting elastic force of the spring, a long-term stable contact of the conductor can be ensured, thereby having excellent shock resistance, and due to the self-locking ability of the spring, the pulling force of the conductor is significantly increased, ensuring a higher contact force between the conductor and the two-piece retaining portion of the protective grounding plate. In addition, the overall structure of the protective grounding plate is simple and easy to manufacture, thereby reducing production costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings and are explained in more detail below. In the drawings:

[0015] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a push-in type protective grounding plate 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a protective grounding assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 3 A perspective view showing another angle of the protective grounding assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a (female) insert according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 5 shows an exploded view of a (female) insert according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a (male) insert according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 7 shows an exploded view of a (male) insert according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0022] Figure 8 A bottom view of a retention plate according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0023] The drawings contain partially simplified schematic diagrams. In some cases, the same reference numerals are used for identical but possibly non-identical elements. Different views of the same element may be scaled differently. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] Figure 1 1 shows a perspective view of a push-in protective grounding plate 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The push-in protective grounding plate 1 is configured to be suitable for connecting a protective conductor (not shown) and to be mounted to an insert 4, 5 ( Figure 4 , Figure 6 The push-in protective ground plate 1 includes a contact portion 12 extending along the plugging direction S of the insert for providing electrical contact with the mating insert, a flat portion 11 extending perpendicular to the plugging direction S for providing electrical contact with the plug connector housing (not shown), and a locking step portion 43, 53 ( Figure 5 , Figure 7 ) two latching portions 13 extending from the flat portion in the opposite direction of the plug-in direction S and formed on the flat portion 11 for accommodating / holding the spring 2 ( Figure 2) of the two-piece retaining part, namely the first retaining part 14 and the second retaining part 15.

[0025] The contact portion 12 is formed on the plane portion 11 and is configured as a contact pin. The free end of the contact portion is to be electrically contacted with the free end of the contact portion of the protective ground plate of the mating insert. The plane portion 11 is configured as a flat plate, and two threaded holes are provided on the flat plate for screwing in, so as to fix the insert in the housing (not shown) of the plug connector. The locking portion 13 is formed at both ends of the other side of the plane portion 11 opposite to the contact portion 12, and is configured as a locking arm.

[0026] The two-piece retaining parts 14 and 15 are separately arranged and disposed between the two locking parts 13. The first retaining part 14 is configured as a right-angle bend, that is, it is composed of a first wall 141 and a second wall 142 that are at right angles to each other. A stopper 143 is provided at one end of the first wall 141 away from the second wall 142, which is configured as an arc-shaped protrusion. An undercut 145 is provided on the lower side of the first wall 141 (the side close to the plane part). In addition, an opening 111 is provided at a position close to the first wall 141 of the plane part 11. The second retaining part 15 is also configured as a right-angle bend, that is, it is composed of a first wall 151 and a second wall 152 that are at right angles to each other. The first wall 151 of the second retaining part 15 is arranged opposite to the first wall 141 of the first retaining part 14. In other embodiments, the second retaining part can also be configured as a single wall.

[0027] Figure 2 and Figure 3 Perspective views of different angles of a protective grounding assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention are shown. The protective grounding assembly includes a push-in protective grounding plate 1, a spring 2 and an actuator 3. The spring 2 includes a first leg 21 and a second leg 22. The first leg 21 is configured to be straight and is provided with a lug 211 on the outer side. The second leg 22 is configured to be oblique, and its outer contour includes a first step portion 221 and a second step portion 222, wherein the second step portion is further away from the first leg relative to the first step portion. The spring is made of metal, preferably stainless steel, more preferably spring steel, and most preferably high-strength nickel-chromium spring steel. The actuator 3 is a hollow structure having a head 31 for a tool, such as a screwdriver.

[0028] exist Figure 2 and Figure 3In the state shown, the actuator 3 is not subjected to a pressing force, for example, from a tool, and the spring 2 is partially accommodated in the actuator 3. The first leg 21 of the spring 2 is retained in the first retaining portion 14. Specifically, the first leg 21 can move in a guide channel formed by the stopper 143 of the first wall 141 and the corner portion 144 of the first retaining portion 14, and the first leg 21 extends through the corresponding opening 111 of the plane portion 11, and the lug 211 of the first leg 21 can abut against the undercut portion 145 of the first wall 14, thereby limiting the movement of the spring 2 against the plug-in direction S (upward), that is, providing the upper dead center of the movement stroke of the spring. The second leg 21 of the spring 2, specifically its second step portion 222, is engaged with the first wall 151 of the second retaining portion 15. Due to the rigidity and self-locking property of the spring, the spring is in a static position.

[0029] When one wants to insert a protective conductor (not shown), first press the head 31 of the actuator 3 with the aid of a tool. At this time, the actuator 3 is subjected to a pressing force along the plug-in direction S, causing the actuator 3 to move along the plug-in direction S, thereby acting on the spring 2, causing the spring 2 to pivot and move vertically at the same time. Specifically, the second leg 22 is subjected to pressure from the actuator 3, thereby pivoting toward the first leg 21 and away from the first wall 151 of the second retaining portion 15. At the same time, the first leg 21 moves vertically along the plug-in direction S (downward) under the pressure of the actuator, and moves downward through the opening 111 of the planar portion 11 of the protective grounding plate 1, thereby forming a gap between the second leg 22 and the first wall 151 of the second retaining portion 15, so that the protective conductor can be inserted into the gap. Figure 5 and Figure 7 As shown, the side walls of the main bodies 40 and 50 of the inserts 4 and 5 are provided with grooves 42 and 52 to limit the movement of the spring 2 along the plug-in direction S (downward), that is, to provide the lower dead point of the spring's movement stroke. After the protective conductor is inserted into the gap, the tool is lifted, that is, the pressing force is released. At this time, since the actuator 3 no longer applies force to the spring, the second leg 22 pivots away from the first leg 21 due to the elastic force, so that the second step portion 222 of the second leg 22 is engaged with the inserted protective conductor, thereby locking the protective conductor between the second leg 22 and the first wall 151 of the second retaining portion 15, and the protective conductor is in close contact with the first wall 151 as a busbar to ensure the protective grounding connection; at the same time, the first leg 21 moves vertically against the plug-in direction S (upward) until the lug 211 of the first leg 21 abuts against the undercut portion 145 of the first retaining portion 14. In other words, the spring 2 can move vertically between the grooves 42 and 52 and the undercut portion 145.

[0030] Figures 4 to 7The inserts, namely the female insert 4 and the male insert 5, are shown in a perspective view and an exploded view, respectively. The inserts 4 and 5 include a body 40 and 50, a retaining plate 60, and a protective grounding assembly arranged on the side wall of the insert. The protective grounding assembly provides protective contact between the male insert and the female insert. The side walls of the two narrow sides of the body 40 and 50 of the inserts 4 and 5 are provided with receiving portions 41 and 51 for receiving the contact portion 12 of the protective grounding plate 1. Figure 5 and Figure 7 It is shown that grooves 42, 52 serving as the lower dead point of the first leg 21 of the spring 2 are provided on the inner walls of the receiving parts 41, 51. Receiving parts 61 are provided on the side walls of the two narrow sides of the retaining plate 60 of the inserts 4, 5, for accommodating the actuator of the protective grounding assembly, the spring, and the first retaining part 14 and the second retaining part 15 of the protective grounding plate 4. The spring directly contacts the first and second retaining parts of the protective grounding plate and does not contact the receiving part 61. The side wall of the receiving part 61 is provided with a window 62, which can be used to observe the movement / state of the protective grounding assembly and can be inserted with tools when necessary. When assembled, the receiving part of the retaining plate abuts against the upper surface of the plane part of the protective grounding plate, and the receiving part of the main body abuts against the lower surface of the plane part of the protective grounding plate.

[0031] Figure 8 The bottom view of the holding plate 60 is shown. A stopper 63 is provided at the lower portion of the inner wall of the accommodating portion 61 to prevent the actuator 3 from falling from the accommodating portion 61.

[0032] Although the figures show various aspects or features of the present invention in combination, those skilled in the art will clearly understand that the illustrated and discussed combinations are not the only feasible combinations unless otherwise specified. In particular, corresponding units or features in different embodiments can be interchanged as a whole.

[0033] Reference numerals list

[0034] 1 Push-in protective ground plate

[0035] 11 plane part

[0036] 12 Contact Department

[0037] 13 Locking part

[0038] 14 first holding part

[0039] 15 Second holding part

[0040] 111 Opening

[0041] 141 First Wall

[0042] 142 Second Wall

[0043] 143 Stopper

[0044] 144 Corner

[0045] 145 Undercut

[0046] 151 First Wall

[0047] 152 Second Wall

[0048] 2 Spring

[0049] 21 First Leg

[0050] 22 Second Leg

[0051] 211 lugs

[0052] 221 First step

[0053] 222 Second step

[0054] 3 Actuator

[0055] 31 Head

[0056] 4 (female) insert

[0057] 40 Body

[0058] 41 Accommodation

[0059] 42 grooves

[0060] 43 Locking step

[0061] 5 (male) insert

[0062] 50 Body

[0063] 51 Accommodation

[0064] 52 grooves

[0065] 53 Locking step

[0066] 60 Holding plate

[0067] 61 Accommodation

[0068] 62 Window

[0069] 63 Block

[0070] S plug direction

Claims

1. A push-in protective grounding plate (1) for an insert, the push-in protective grounding plate (1) comprising a plane portion (11) extending perpendicularly to the plug-in direction (S) of the insert and a two-piece retaining portion formed on the plane portion (11), wherein the two-piece retaining portion is configured to retain a spring (2) and a protective conductor and comprises a first retaining portion (14) and a second retaining portion (15).

2. The push-in protective grounding plate (1) according to claim 1, wherein: The first retaining portion (14) is composed of a first wall (141) and a second wall (142) which are at right angles to each other, wherein the first wall (141) is provided with a stopper (143), and the stopper and a corner portion (144) of the first retaining portion together form a guide channel for the first leg (21) of the spring (2).

3. The push-in protective grounding plate (1) according to claim 2, wherein: The first wall (141) is provided with an undercut portion (145) for abutting against a lug (211) of the first leg (21) of the spring (2) to limit the movement of the spring (2) against the plugging direction (S).

4. The push-in protective grounding plate (1) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein: The plane portion (11) has an opening (111) for the first leg (21) of the spring (2) to pass through.

5. The push-in protective grounding plate (1) according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein: The second retaining portion (15) has a first wall (151) opposite to the first wall (141) of the first retaining portion (14), which is configured to engage the second leg (22) of the spring (2) and provide a bus bar in contact with the protective conductor.

6. The push-in protective grounding plate (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The push-in protective grounding plate (1) further comprises a contact portion (12) extending from the plane portion (11) along the plug-in direction (S) and two locking portions (13) extending from the plane portion in the opposite direction of the plug-in direction S.

7. A protective grounding assembly, comprising the push-in protective grounding plate (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, a spring (2) and an actuator (3).

8. An insert (4, 5) comprising a body (40, 50), a retaining plate (60) and at least one protective grounding assembly according to claim 7 arranged on a side wall of the insert.

9. The insert (4, 5) according to claim 8, wherein: The retaining plate (60) is provided with a receiving portion (61) for receiving the two-piece retaining portion, the spring (2) and the actuator (3), wherein the inner wall of the receiving portion (61) is provided with a stopper (63) to prevent the actuator from falling from the receiving portion, wherein the receiving portion (61) does not contact the spring (2).

10. Insert (4, 5) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein The main body (40, 50) is provided with a receiving portion (41, 51) for receiving the contact portion (12) of the push-in protective grounding plate (1), and a groove (42, 52) is provided on the inner wall of the receiving portion (41, 51) for stopping the first leg (21) of the spring (2) to limit the movement of the spring (2) along the plugging direction (S).

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