Plug connector insert for electrical plug connector

Abstract

In order to reduce the installation effort of plug connector inserts for crimping contacts (2), it is proposed that the PE ("protective grounding") connecting elements (1) thereof are pushed into the insulating body (3) on the cable terminal side and are finally fixed in the contact carrier by means of a retaining plate (4) which is subsequently locked on the insulating body (3) on the cable terminal side.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention is based on a plug connector insert for an electrical plug connector according to the preamble of independent claim 1 .

[0002] Furthermore, the invention is based on an electrical plug connector comprising a plug connector insert and a plug connector housing according to claim 8 .

[0003] Furthermore, the invention is based on a method for mounting a plug connector insert according to claim 1 .

[0004] Furthermore, the invention is based on a method for mounting an electrical plug connector according to claim 12 . Background Art

[0005] This plug-in connector insert is intended to be inserted into a metal plug-in connector housing and electrically ground the latter, thereby producing a plug-in connector for electrically connecting to a mating plug-in connector. This plug-in connector insert comprises a contact carrier, which, for structural reasons (particularly for injection molding), is constructed in two parts and can be formed, for example, from an insulator and a retaining plate. By reversibly plugging the plug-in connector into the mating connector, the plug contacts of the plug-in connector are electrically conductively connected to the mating plug contacts of the mating connector, thereby forming a respective plug contact pair consisting of a plug contact and a mating plug contact plugged therewith. On the cable terminal side, a cable having multiple electrical conductors can be securely connected to the plug connector and the mating connector. Thus, by plugging the plug connector into the mating connector, the electrical conductors connected to the respective plug contacts of the plug contact pairs and the corresponding mating plug contacts in the cable terminal region are electrically conductively connected to one another in pairs, thereby transmitting electrical signals and / or energy between the two cables. The protective earth connection of the metallic plug connector housing, which is in compliance with regulations, can also be used to electrically and / or magnetically shield the electrical signals within the plug connector.

[0006] Document DE 10 2010 022 690 B4 discloses an electrical plug connector having a plug connector housing and an insulating body. At least one contact element and a grounding terminal contact element can be introduced into the insulating body and locked therein. Furthermore, it is disclosed that the grounding terminal contact element is configured as a crimping contact portion. In order to connect the grounding terminal contact element to the plug connector housing for grounding, a laterally attachable contact plate is provided. The contact plate can be introduced and locked via a lateral groove in a recess in the insulating body and, in the introduced state, is in conductive contact with the grounding terminal contact element. In its bottom surface, the contact plate has a threaded hole so that it can be connected to the plug connector housing by screwing. The contact plate is configured as a U-shaped component, so that the side edges of the contact plate have guide arms and locking arms, wherein the guide arms lock in the undercut of the insulating body, and wherein the locking arms engage in the cutout of the insulating body.

[0007] A disadvantage of this prior art is that the plug connector is complex to manufacture and install, since the contact plate requires separate installation steps from separate installation directions, and its lateral introduction by means of guide and locking arms that lock into undercuts and notches requires a certain level of skill. Consequently, this installation must be performed manually and cannot be automated (or at least not with reasonable effort).

[0008] The German Patent and Trademark Office searched the following prior art in the priority application of the present application: DE 100 09750 A1, DE 20 2006 003 204 U1, WO 2022 / 171241 A1 and WO 2022 / 171242 A1. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The object of the present invention is to propose a structural form and an installation method for a plug connector plug, by which the plug connector plug can be manufactured with as little installation effort as possible. In particular, the plug connector plug, and preferably also the entire plug connector, should be able to be manufactured automatically.

[0010] This object is achieved by the respective subject matters of the independent claims.

[0011] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims and below.

[0012] The plug connector insert serves as a component of an electrical plug connector and is provided for insertion into a metallic plug connector housing and for PE (“protective earth”) grounding of the plug connector housing.

[0013] The plug connector insert has a plurality of plug contacts, each of which is formed in one piece. Each plug contact has a plug region, a retaining flange, and a cable connection region separated from the plug region by the retaining flange. The cable connection region of the plug contact is designed as a crimp terminal, so that the plug contact is a crimp contact.

[0014] One of the plug contacts serves on the cable terminal side for connection to a PE (“protective earth”) conductor and on the plug side for PE conduction to a mating plug connector, so that the plug contact is a PE contact.

[0015] The plug connector insert also has a separate, electrically conductive PE connection element. On one side, the PE connection element serves to mechanically and electrically conductively contact the PE contact and, on the other side, to electrically and mechanically contact the metallic plug connector housing and to secure the plug connector insert in the metallic plug connector housing. For this purpose, the PE connection element has a cylindrical screw hole with an internal thread for screwing onto the plug connector housing.

[0016] The plug connector insert also has a contact carrier. The contact carrier has an insulating body with a plug side and a cable connection side opposite the plug side. The plug connector insert also has a retaining plate that can be locked to the insulating body on the cable connection side.

[0017] The holding plate has, for each contact cavity, an insertion opening for inserting a plug contact into the corresponding contact cavity.

[0018] The cable terminal side and the plug side are connected to each other via four outer surfaces of the substantially cuboid insulating body arranged perpendicular to one another. One of these outer surfaces is a PE outer surface.

[0019] The insulating body has a plurality of contact cavities designed as through-openings for accommodating a respective plug contact. The contact cavities are oriented and connected in a plugging direction extending parallel to the outer surface, thereby connecting the cable connection side and the plug side of the insulating body to each other.

[0020] One of the contact cavities is arranged outside the PE and is used to accommodate a PE contact portion. Therefore, the contact cavity is a PE contact cavity.

[0021] The PE contact cavity is open toward the PE exterior, thereby forming a PE opening in the PE exterior, which enables electrical and mechanical contact between the PE connecting element and the plug connector housing.

[0022] Insulator and holding plate are configured to be introduced and / or inserted plug contacts are held in the contact carrier in a locked state. This can be done, for example, by locking arms that are molded onto the holding plate and extend into the contact cavity.

[0023] When installing the plug connector insert, the PE connecting element can first be pushed into the PE contact cavity of the insulating body on the cable terminal side, can be held there in a form-fitting manner and can initially be moved in the plug-in direction, and can finally be fixed in the contact carrier by subsequently locking the retaining plate on the insulating body.

[0024] The plug connector insert can be installed according to a method having the following steps:

[0025] A. Join the PE connection element into the PE contact cavity on the cable terminal side;

[0026] B. Fix the PE connection element in the PE contact cavity by locking the retaining plate at the insulator on the cable terminal side;

[0027] C. introducing the plug contact together with the PE contact from the cable terminal side through each of the introduction openings of the retaining plate into the corresponding contact cavity, wherein the PE contact is introduced into the PE contact cavity;

[0028] D. Locking the plug contacts into their corresponding contact cavities, wherein the PE contacts are locked in the PE contact cavities and are also electrically and mechanically contacted with the PE connecting element.

[0029] Here, the method steps are carried out as far as possible in a predetermined sequence A; B; C and D, wherein the sequence of method steps C and D is not exactly fixed relative to one another, since ultimately a plurality of plug-in contacts are introduced into their respective contact cavities and the given sequence can only be meaningfully determined for each individual plug-in contact.

[0030] The electrical plug connector has a metallic plug connector housing and a plug connector insert of the aforementioned type inserted therein, wherein the plug connector insert is screwed to the plug connector housing with its PE connecting element by means of screws.

[0031] The plug connector can be implemented according to the above method with the method steps A, B, C and D and by means of the following steps following thereto:

[0032] E. Insert the plug-in connector into the plug-in connector housing;

[0033] F. The plug connector insert is fixedly screwed onto the plug connector housing by means of its cylindrical screw hole and the screw, thereby electrically conductively connecting the PE connecting element to the plug connector housing.

[0034] In particular, method step F is particularly advantageous because the PE connecting element, in particular with its bottom surface, can be pulled inwardly toward the plug connector housing in a planar manner and with a high pressing force by screwing, thereby ensuring a particularly high-quality electrically conductive connection. In a preferred embodiment, in method step F, the electrically conductive connection of the PE connecting element to the plug connector housing can be achieved by pulling the bottom surface of the PE connecting element from the inside toward the plug connector housing by screwing, which acts as a fixation, while the PE connecting element electrically contacts the PE contact with its contact tabs on both sides simultaneously. This results in a particularly reliable and particularly well-conducting connection between the PE contact and the plug connector housing.

[0035] The fact that the plug contacts are crimped contacts is particularly advantageous, in addition to the high stability and excellent electrical conductivity generally associated with crimped connections. This is because the plug contacts can be introduced into the contact carrier of the plug connector insert in the so-called "assembled" state (i.e., already connected to their respective electrical conductors). This means that the crimping occurs before the aforementioned installation of the plug connector insert. This offers the particular advantage of being able to use preassembled contacts. For example, a cable with multiple electrical conductors and already crimped plug contacts with high, guaranteed, consistent quality can be purchased before installation and used during installation. A particular advantage is that the PE contacts are also crimped contacts. This also simplifies quality assurance and installation, as only one type of plug contact, namely, crimped contacts, must be used in the same manner.

[0036] A particular advantage is that the PE connection element and the plug contact can be introduced into the insulator / contact carrier only from the cable terminal side. Furthermore, the retaining plate also locks with the insulator from the cable terminal side, so that overall there is only one installation direction for installing the plug connector insert. This significantly simplifies the installation of the plug connector insert and also improves its automatability.

[0037] The plug-in connector insert has the advantage of being particularly compact, i.e., having small dimensions compared to the cable cross-section used. This is achieved by the compact PE connection element and the one-piece, particularly compact crimp contacts. This results in small air gaps and creepage distances compared to the required installation space, allowing relatively high voltages to be applied to the plug-in contacts. Consequently, the plug-in connector insert and the plug-in connector equipped with it have both a particularly high current-carrying capacity and a particularly high compressive strength.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment, the retaining plate has locking arms that extend into the corresponding contact cavities to lock each plug contact introduced into the contact carrier. Thus, the plug contacts introduced into the contact carrier on the cable terminal side through the corresponding insertion openings of the retaining plate are locked in the corresponding contact cavities by means of their retaining flanges to the corresponding locking arms.

[0039] In a preferred development of the invention, the PE connecting element has at least one plug-side securing pin for stabilizing engagement in a retaining tab of the insulating body arranged at the plug-side end of the PE contact chamber.

[0040] This is particularly advantageous for particularly stable holding of the PE connecting element in the contact chamber, in particular also at a point in time when the retaining plate has not yet been locked onto the insulating body.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment, when the retaining plate is unlocked, the PE connecting element is held in the PE contact cavity of the insulating body so as to be movable in the plugging direction. This allows the PE connecting element to be advantageously pushed into the contact carrier from the direction of the cable terminal, moved into its final position, and finally fixed in place by means of the retaining plate.

[0042] In a further advantageous embodiment, the PE connecting element can be formed inexpensively and inexpensively as a stamped and bent part from a spring-elastic sheet metal part.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment, the PE connecting element can mechanically and electrically contact the PE contact on both sides. To this end, the PE connecting element can have two contact strips of the PE contact that are directed in the plug-in direction and are independent at the end sides.

[0044] In another advantageous embodiment, the PE connection element can have two side walls and a bottom surface serving as a contact surface. The screw hole can then be provided in the bottom surface. Consequently, when screwed onto the metal plug connector housing, the bottom surface of the PE connection element is pulled toward the plug connector housing by the tightening force, thereby establishing electrical contact with the plug connector housing over a large area. This ensures a particularly good and secure electrical connection. The two side walls can be bent at right angles from the bottom surface of the PE element, resulting in a substantially U-shaped cross-section of the PE connection element. Each of the two contact tabs can be stamped from one of the side walls and bent inward to mechanically and electrically conductively contact the plug contacts introduced along these contact tabs on the cable terminal side on both sides.

[0045] In a preferred embodiment, the PE connection element can have at least one outwardly oriented sliding plate on each of its two side walls, which engages a sliding edge of the insulator from behind. This facilitates the insertion of the PE connection element into the insulator and holds it in the insulator so that it can be moved in the plugging direction until the retaining plate is locked. Advantageously, these features can be implemented with very low production costs.

[0046] Each of the two sliding edges of the insulator can be part of one of two guide grooves of the insulator oriented parallel to the outer surface of the PE. These two guide grooves can be provided on two opposing sides of the PE contact cavity. These two guide grooves can begin on the cable terminal side and extend from there in the insertion direction. Thus, each sliding plate of the PE connecting element introduced into the insulator can engage with one of the guide grooves, thereby initially retaining the PE connecting element in the insulator movably in the insertion direction.

[0047] In a preferred refinement, the retaining plate includes a locking mechanism for locking onto a mating locking structure of the insulating body. For example, the retaining plate can include a locking tab as the locking mechanism, which has a locking window and can lock onto a mating locking mechanism of the insulating body, which is configured as a locking molding. The locking molding is, for example, configured as a ramp-shaped locking hook with a respective upwardly sloped edge and a respective retaining surface. The mating locking mechanism can be provided on two opposing outer surfaces of the insulating body. Preferably, these are two opposing outer surfaces, neither of which is a PE outer surface. This is particularly advantageous because otherwise the PE recess would make the mating locking mechanism difficult to install or prevent its installation.

[0048] Alternatively or additionally, slotted pins known to those skilled in the art can also be used to fasten the holding plate to the contact carrier.

[0049] In another preferred embodiment, the metal plug connector housing has contact strips on its inner side. The contact strips can have cylindrical lead-throughs for threading screws into the screw holes of the PE connection elements. Thus, the contact strips on the inner side of the plug connector housing can partially engage with the PE openings of the contact carrier, pressing against the contact surface of the PE connection element during screwing, thereby mechanically and electrically connecting the plug connector housing to the PE connection element. Furthermore, the contact strips can serve as polarization protection to ensure the correct orientation of the plug connector insert relative to the plug connector housing.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment, the retaining plate can include at least one retaining tab, which, when the retaining plate is locked, abuts against a PE connecting element introduced into the PE contact cavity on the cable terminal side to secure the PE connecting element in the contact carrier. In particular, the retaining plate can include two retaining tabs, one of which abuts against one of the two side walls of the PE connecting element when the retaining plate is locked. These two retaining tabs can be provided on either side of a locking arm, which is used to secure the PE contact and is therefore referred to as a PE locking arm. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0051] An embodiment of the present invention is shown in the drawings and is explained in detail below. The drawings show:

[0052] Figure 1a 、 Figure 1b Two different views showing the PE connection element;

[0053] Figure 2a 、 Figure 2b Two different views of a PE connecting element are shown together with the PE contacts which are contacted on both sides;

[0054] Figure 3 A contact carrier formed by an insulating body and a retaining plate which can be locked therewith is shown;

[0055] Figure 4a 、 Figure 4b Two different views showing the insulation with the PE connection element to be introduced therein;

[0056] Figure 5 Shows an exploded view of a plug connector insert with an insulator, a PE connection element, a retaining plate and a PE contact;

[0057] Figure 6 A sectional view of a plug connector housing with an inserted and screwed plug connector insert without PE contacts is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0058] The figures each contain a simplified schematic diagram. Identical, though possibly not identical, elements are sometimes designated by the same reference numerals. Different views of the same element may be scaled differently. Method descriptions, such as "left," "right," "above," and "below," are to be understood with reference to the corresponding figure and may vary in the individual views relative to the objects shown.

[0059] Figure 1a and Figure 1b Two different views of the PE connecting element 1 of the plug connector insert are shown.

[0060] The PE connecting element 1 is designed in one piece and can be produced cost-effectively and inexpensively as a punched and bent part from a spring-elastic sheet metal part.

[0061] The PE connection element 1 has two side walls 12 and a bottom surface 11 connecting the two side walls 12 as a base for electrical and mechanical contact. Figure 6 The contact surface of the metal plug connector housing 5 shown in FIG. A screw hole 10 is provided in the bottom surface 11. The screw hole 10 has an internal thread not shown in detail here, so as to Figure 6 The screw 6 shown in FIG. 1 is screwed in and fastened in the plug connector housing 5 .

[0062] The two side walls 12 of the PE connecting element 1 are bent at right angles from the bottom surface 11, so that the PE connecting element 1 has a substantially U-shaped cross section in the region of the bottom surface 11. A contact web 122 is punched out of each of these side walls 12 and slightly bent inwards.

[0063] The PE connection element 1 has at each of its two side walls 12 an outwardly oriented sliding plate 124 for engaging from behind. Figure 3 The sliding edge 314 of the insulator 3 is shown in FIG.

[0064] Figure 2a and Figure 2b The PE connecting element 1 is shown with the PE contact 2 arranged therein. It becomes clear here that the two contact lugs 122 of the PE connecting element 1 are in mechanical (and therefore also electrically) contact with the PE contact 2 on both sides.

[0065] The PE contact 2 has a plug-in area 21, a retaining flange 23, and a cable terminal area 22 separated from the plug-in area 21 by the retaining flange 23. The cable terminal area 22 of the PE contact 2 is configured as a crimp terminal and thus has a crimping opening 20 for introducing and crimping a grounding conductor (not shown), so that the PE contact 2 is a crimping contact.

[0066] The PE connecting element 1 is therefore configured to electrically conductively connect the PE contact 2 and, therefore, the ground conductor connected to the PE contact 2 by crimping, to the plug connector housing 5 .

[0067] The PE connecting element 1 also has a plug-side fixing pin 126 on each of its two side walls 12 .

[0068] Figure 3 The insulating body 3 is shown when viewing its cable connection side and a retaining plate 4 that can be locked on the cable connection side of the insulating body 3. Opposite the cable connection side, the insulating body 3 has a plug side that is visually concealed in the figure by the insulating body 3 itself and is therefore not visible.

[0069] The cable connection side and the plug side of the insulating body 3 are connected to one another via four outer surfaces 34 , 31 of the essentially cuboid insulating body 3 , which are arranged perpendicular to one another, one of the outer surfaces 34 , 31 being the PE outer surface 31 .

[0070] The insulating body 3 has a plurality of contact cavities 32 designed as through-openings for accommodating one of the plug contacts. The contact cavities 32 and the further plug contacts (not shown here) can be of different sizes. Basically, the further plug contacts (except for the partially different sizes) are constructed similarly to the PE contacts 2 shown above. That is, the PE contact 2 is one of the plug contacts.

[0071] The contact chamber 32 is oriented in a plug-in direction extending parallel to the outer surfaces 31 , 34 , in order to connect the cable connection side and the plug-in side of the insulating body 3 to one another.

[0072] One of the contact cavities 32 is arranged on the PE outer surface 31 of the insulating body 3 and is used to accommodate a PE contact, so that it is a PE contact cavity 321 .

[0073] The PE contact cavity 321 is open toward the PE outer surface 31 and thus has a PE opening 310 arranged in the PE outer surface 31. The PE opening 310 enables the PE connecting element 1 to be electrically and mechanically contacted with the plug connector housing 5.

[0074] The retaining plate 4 has a locking mechanism for locking to the insulating body 3, which will be explained in more detail below. The retaining plate 4 can also have a slotted pin. Furthermore, the retaining plate 4 has an insertion opening 40, 410 for each contact cavity 32, which is provided in the respective contact cavity 32 for inserting a plug contact into the respective contact cavity 32, 321 when the retaining plate 4 is locked. For the PE contact 2, the retaining plate has, for example, a PE insertion opening 410, which is provided in the PE contact cavity 321.

[0075] To lock each plug contact (also known as a PE contact) introduced into the contact carrier, the retaining plate 4 has a locking arm 43 for each plug contact. When the retaining plate 4 is locked to the insulating body 3, the corresponding locking arm 43 projects into the corresponding contact cavity 32. This allows the plug contact, which is introduced into the contact carrier on the cable terminal side through the corresponding insertion opening 40 of the retaining plate 4, to be locked in the corresponding contact cavity 32 by its retaining flange 23 at the corresponding locking arm 43. In particular, the PE contact 2 can be locked in the PE contact cavity 321 by the PE locking arm 432 of the retaining plate 4.

[0076] The contact carrier formed by the insulating body 3 and the retaining plate 4 is thus configured to hold a plug contact to be introduced and / or already introduced in the contact carrier. In other words, the retaining plate 4 and the insulating body 3 can hold a plug contact to be introduced and / or already introduced, in particular a PE contact 2, in the insulating body 3 when locked to one another.

[0077] Furthermore, two lateral guide grooves 3140 can be seen in the region of the PE contact chamber 321 which is located at the bottom in this view, at the upper ends of which a sliding edge 314 is respectively located.

[0078] The sliding plate 124 of the inserted PE connecting element 1 engages in the guide groove 3140 and slides along the sliding edge 314 when the PE connecting element 1 slides deeper into the contact cavity. This prevents the PE connecting element 1 from falling out of the insulating body 3 through the PE opening 310.

[0079] Furthermore, a retaining groove 3260 is provided on both sides of the plug-side end section of the PE contact cavity 321, which is formed by a retaining molding 326 shown above it in the drawing. The retaining pin 126 of the PE connecting element 1 abutting on the plug-side is pushed in until it engages stably in the retaining groove 3260.

[0080] Two retaining tabs 42 pointing in the plugging direction are provided on the retaining plate 4 on both sides of the PE locking arm 432. These retaining tabs are used to finally secure the PE connection element 1 pushed into the PE contact cavity 321 on the cable terminal side in the PE contact cavity 321, in such a way that when the retaining plate 4 is locked on the insulating body 3, the retaining tabs 42 abut against the side wall 12 of the PE connection element 1.

[0081] Figure 4a and Figure 4b The insulating body 3 and the PE connecting element 1 to be inserted are shown from two different perspectives. It is particularly clear here how the sliding plate 124 engages in the guide groove 3140 and the securing pin 126 engages in the retaining groove 3260 once the PE connecting element 1 is inserted into the PE contact cavity 321. The sliding plate 124 thus facilitates the introduction of the PE connecting element 1 into the insulating body 3 and retains the PE connecting element 1 in the insulating body 3, movable in the plugging direction, until the retaining plate 4 locks. At the same time, the sliding plate 124 and the guide groove 3140 can be implemented with very little additional production effort.

[0082] Furthermore, the PE contact opening 321 has a contact pin opening 3210 for accommodating the plug-in region 21 of the PE contact 2 .

[0083] Figure 5An exploded view of the above-mentioned parts of the plug connector plug is shown again, namely the insulating body 3, the PE connecting element 1, the retaining plate 4 and the PE contact part 2, wherein the PE contact part 2 also represents a further plug contact part of the plug connector plug, which is not shown in detail here for reasons of clarity.

[0084] From these perspectives, the locking mechanism of the retaining plate 4, i.e., the locking tab 44 with its locking window 440, is also clearly visible. The locking mechanism is used to lock onto a counter-locking mechanism of the insulating body 3, which is designed as a locking molding 344. The counter-locking mechanism is designed as a ramp-shaped locking hook 344, which has a respective upward slope and a respective retaining surface and is arranged on two parallel, opposite outer surfaces 34 of the insulating body 3, which are connected to each other via the PE outer surface 31. However, only one of the two outer surfaces 34 and the locking hook 344 molded thereon is visible in the drawings, since the other outer surface is covered by the insulating body 3.

[0085] What also becomes clear from this view is the assembly sequence, in which the PE connecting element 1 is first pushed into the contact cavity 321 of the insulating body 3, the retaining plate 4 is subsequently locked onto the insulating body 3, whereby the PE connecting element 1 is finally fixed in the PE contact cavity 321 of the insulating body 3, and finally the PE contact part 2 and the further plug-in contact part (not shown) together with the electrical conductor connected thereto, i.e. crimped, also not shown, are introduced into the contact carrier through the introduction opening 40 of the retaining plate 4 and locked in its corresponding contact cavity 32.

[0086] Finally, as already indicated, Figure 6 A cross section through the PE connecting element 1 shows a plug connector having a metallic plug connector housing 5 with a housing wall 51 and a plug connector insert. For reasons of clarity, the PE contact 2 is not shown here in order to open up the view of the other components.

[0087] For this purpose, a screw 6 is shown here for the first time, which is screwed from the outside through the plug connector housing 5 through a threadless through-opening in the housing wall 51 of the plug connector housing 5 into the screw hole 10 of the PE connecting element 1. As a result, the screw 6 pulls the bottom surface 11 of the PE connecting element 1 from the inside toward the housing wall 51 of the plug connector housing 5 with a corresponding tightening force, so that the PE connecting element 1 is mechanically and electrically reliably in contact with the plug connector housing 5 over a large area.

[0088] It also becomes clear that the PE contact 2, not shown here, when introduced (from the right in the drawing) into the PE contact cavity 321, is locked with its retaining flange 23 to the PE locking arms 432 of the retaining plate 4 and also mechanically and electrically contacts the two contact tabs 122 of the PE connecting element 1 on both sides. In other words, the illustrated arrangement enables, with only a small amount of assembly effort, a reliable electrical connection of the ground conductor crimped onto the PE contact 2 not only to the mating plug connector for ground transmission but also to the metallic plug connector housing 5.

[0089] Reference Signs List

[0090] 1 PE connection element

[0091] 10 screw holes

[0092] 11 Bottom

[0093] 12 Sidewall

[0094] 122 contact tabs

[0095] 124 Sliding Plate

[0096] 126 fixing pin

[0097] 2 PE contact / plug contact / crimp contact

[0098] 20 Crimp opening

[0099] 21 docking area

[0100] 22 Cable terminal area / crimp terminals

[0101] 23 Retaining flange

[0102] 3 Insulators

[0103] 31 PE outside

[0104] 310 PE opening

[0105] 314 Sliding Edge

[0106] 3140 Guide Slot

[0107] 32 contact cavity

[0108] 321 PE contact cavity

[0109] 3210 PE contact pin opening

[0110] 326 retaining molded portion

[0111] 3260 Retention slot

[0112] 34 outside

[0113] 344 Locking molding / locking hook

[0114] 4 retaining plate

[0115] 40 Introduction opening

[0116] 410 PE introduction opening

[0117] 42 retaining plate

[0118] 43 Locking Arm

[0119] 432 PE locking arm

[0120] 44 Locking tab

[0121] 440 Lock Window

[0122] 5 Plug connector housing

[0123] 51 Shell wall

[0124] 6 screws

Claims

1. A plug connector insert for an electrical plug connector, wherein The plug connector insert is configured for insertion into a metallic plug connector housing (5) and for its PE ("protective earth") grounding and has the following: - a plurality of one-piece plug contacts (2), each of which has a plug region (21), a retaining flange (23) and a cable terminal region (22) separated from the plug region (21) by the retaining flange (23), wherein the cable terminal region (22) of the plug contact (2) is designed as a crimp terminal, so that the plug contact (2) is a crimp contact, o one of the plug contacts (2) is used on the cable terminal side for connection to a PE conductor and on the plug side for PE conduction to a mating plug connector, so that the plug contact (2) is a PE ("protective earth") contact, - an electrically conductive, separate PE connection element (1) for mechanically and electrically conductively contacting the PE contact (2) on the one hand and electrically and mechanically contacting the metallic plug-in connector housing (5) on the other hand by means of a cylindrical screw hole (10) belonging to the PE connection element (1), the screw hole having an internal thread for screwing the plug-in connector plug and fastening it in the plug-in connector housing (5), a contact carrier comprising an insulating body (3) having a plug-in side and a cable connection side opposite the plug-in side, and a retaining plate (4) which can be locked on the cable connection side of the insulating body (3), wherein the cable terminal side and the plug side are connected to each other via four outer surfaces (31, 34) of the substantially cuboid-shaped insulating body (3) arranged perpendicular to each other, one of the outer surfaces being a PE outer surface (31), The insulating body (3) has a plurality of contact cavities (32, 321) configured as through-openings for respectively accommodating one of the plug-in contacts (2), wherein the contact cavity (32, 321) is oriented in a plug-in direction extending parallel to the outer surface (31, 34) so as to connect the cable terminal side and the plug-in side of the insulating body (3) to one another, One of the contact cavities (321) is arranged at the outside (31) of the PE and is used to accommodate the PE contact portion (2), so that the contact cavity is a PE contact cavity (321), wherein The PE contact cavity (321) is open toward the PE outer surface (31), so that a PE opening (310) is formed in the PE outer surface (31) to enable the PE connection element (1) to be electrically and mechanically contacted with the plug connector housing (5), ○ wherein the retaining plate (4) having a locking mechanism (44, 440) to lock at the insulator (3), and also Each contact cavity (32, 321) has an introduction opening (40, 410) for introducing the plug contact (2) into the corresponding contact cavity (32, 321); wherein the insulating body (3) and the retaining plate (4) are configured to hold the plug-in contact (2) to be introduced and / or already introduced in the contact carrier in a mutually locked state, It is characterized by: When installing the plug-in connector, the PE connecting element (1) can first be pushed into the PE contact cavity (321) of the insulating body (3) on the cable terminal side, can be held therein in a form-fitting manner and first can be held therein movably in the plug-in direction, and can finally be fixed in the contact carrier by subsequently locking the retaining plate (4) to the insulating body (3).

2. The plug connector insert according to claim 1, It is characterized by: The retaining plate (4) has a locking tab (44) extending into the corresponding contact cavity (32, 321) to lock each plug contact (2) introduced into the contact carrier, the introduced plug contact (2) being locked at the locking tab by means of its retaining flange (23), and The retaining plate (4) also has at least one retaining piece (42), which, in the locked state of the retaining plate (4), abuts against the PE connection element (1) introduced into the PE contact cavity (321) on the cable terminal side, so as to finally fix the PE connection element (1) in the contact carrier.

3. The plug connector insert according to claim 1 , It is characterized by: The PE connection element (1) has at least one fixing pin (126) on the plug side for stabilizing engagement in a retaining groove (3260) of the insulating body (3) provided at the plug side end of the PE contact cavity (321).

4. The plug connector insert according to claim 1, It is characterized by: In the unlocked state of the retaining plate (4), the PE connecting element (1) is held movably in the PE contact cavity (321) of the insulating body (3) in the plug-in direction.

5. The plug connector insert according to claim 1, It is characterized by: The PE connecting element (1) is formed as a stamped and bent part from a spring-elastic sheet metal part.

6. The plug connector insert according to claim 1, It is characterized by: The PE connecting element (1) mechanically and electrically contacts the PE contact (2) on both sides.

7. The plug connector insert according to claim 6, It is characterized by: The PE connecting element (1) has two contact strips (122) pointing in the plug-in direction and separated at the end for electrically and mechanically contacting the PE contact (2) on both sides.

8. The plug connector insert according to any one of claims 6 to 7, The PE connecting element (1) has two side walls (12) and a bottom surface (11) as a contact surface, wherein the screw hole (10) is provided in the bottom surface (11), and wherein the two side walls (12) are bent at a right angle from the bottom surface (11) so that the PE connecting element (1) has a substantially U-shaped cross section, wherein each of the two contact tabs (122) is respectively stamped out from one of the side walls (12) and slightly bent inwardly so as to mechanically and electrically conductively contact the PE contact portion (2) introduced along the contact tab (122) on the cable terminal side and locked in the PE contact cavity (321) on both sides.

9. The plug connector insert according to claim 8, It is characterized by: The PE connection element (1) has at least one outwardly directed sliding plate (124) on each of its two side walls (12) for engaging a sliding edge (314) of the insulating body (3) from behind, so as to facilitate the introduction of the PE connection element (1) into the insulating body (3) and to hold the PE connection element (1) in the insulating body (3).

10. The plug connector insert according to claim 9, It is characterized by: Each of the sliding edges (314) is a component of one of the two guide grooves (3140), which are oriented parallel to the PE outer surface (31), are arranged on the insulating body side at two opposite sides of the PE contact cavity (321), start on the cable terminal side and extend from there in the plug-in direction, wherein each of the sliding plates (124) of the PE connecting element (1) introduced into the insulating body (3) engages in a respective one of the guide grooves (3140).

11. The plug connector insert according to any one of claims 8 to 10, It is characterized by: The retaining plate (4) has two retaining tabs (42), each of which rests against one of the two side walls (12) of the PE connecting element (1) in the locked state of the retaining plate (4).

12. An electrical plug connector comprising a metallic plug connector housing (5) and a plug connector insert according to any one of claims 8 to 11 and a screw (6) inserted therein, It is characterized by: The plug connector insert can be screwed onto the plug connector housing (5) via its PE connection element (1) by means of the screw (6), whereby its bottom surface (11) is pulled from the inside toward the plug connector housing (5).

13. The electrical plug connector according to claim 12, It is characterized by: The metal plug-in connector housing (5) has a contact piece on the inner side, wherein the plug-in connector housing (5) has a cylindrical lead-through opening in the contact piece for passing a screw (6) to be screwed into the screw hole (10) of the PE connection element (1), wherein the contact piece on the inner side of the plug-in connector housing (5) partially engages in the PE opening (310) of the insulating body (3) so as to be pressed against the bottom surface (11) of the PE connection element (1) by means of the screwing, thereby mechanically and electrically conductively connecting the plug-in connector housing (5) to the PE connection element (1).

14. A method for installing a plug connector insert according to any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising the following steps: A. Joining the PE connection element (1) into the PE contact cavity (321) on the cable terminal side; B. fixing the PE connection element (1) in the PE contact cavity (321) by locking the retaining plate (4) at the insulator (3) on the cable terminal side; C. introducing the plug contact (2) together with the PE contact (2) into the corresponding contact cavity (32, 321) through each of the introduction openings (40, 410) of the holding plate (4), wherein the PE contact (2) is introduced into the PE contact cavity (321); D. Locking the plug contact (2) into its corresponding contact cavity (32, 321), wherein the PE contact (2) is locked in the PE contact cavity (321) and is also electrically and mechanically contacted with the PE connecting element (1).

15. A method for installing an electrical plug connector according to any one of claims 12 to 13, comprising the following steps: A. Joining the PE connection element (1) into the PE contact cavity (321) on the cable terminal side; B. fixing the PE connection element (1) in the PE contact cavity (321) by locking the retaining plate (4) at the insulator (3) on the cable terminal side; C. introducing the plug contact (2) together with the PE contact (2) into the corresponding contact cavity (32, 321) through each of the introduction openings (40) of the holding plate (4), wherein the PE contact (2) is introduced into the PE contact cavity (321); D. locking the plug contact (2) into its corresponding contact cavity (32, 321), wherein the PE contact (2) is locked in the PE contact cavity (321) and is also electrically and mechanically in contact with the PE connecting element (1); E. Inserting the plug-in connector into the plug-in connector housing (5); F. The plug connector plug is fixedly screwed onto the plug connector housing (5) by means of its cylindrical screw hole (10) and screw (6), thereby electrically conductively connecting the PE connecting element (1) to the plug connector housing (5).

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the conductive connection of the PE connecting element (1) to the plug connector housing (5) is carried out in method step F in the following manner: the bottom surface (11) of the PE connecting element (1) is pulled from the inside toward the plug connector housing (5) by the fixing tightening, and the PE connecting element (1) is electrically contacted with the PE contact part (2) on both sides at the same time via its contact strips (122).

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