A self-locking plug connector and a connector assembly thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a self-locking plug connector and a connector assembly thereof, the plug connector comprising a socket insulator with a circular counter-cavity and a lock; a first plug terminal and a second plug terminal coaxially fixed with different diameters, and the second plug terminal being provided with a plurality of elastic contact portions; and an even number of signal terminals being arranged radially and spaced apart from each other along the insulating base. The socket connector is correspondingly provided with a lock groove, the first socket terminal and the second socket terminal are coaxially sleeved, and the signal contact of the socket connector is provided with a plurality of coaxial conductive rings. After the plug connector is connected with the socket connector, the first plug terminal and the second plug terminal coaxially sleeved are respectively in multi-point contact with the first socket terminal and the second socket terminal, and each conductive ring is in conduction with at least two signal terminals, so that the connector realizes blind insertion; the lock and the lock groove form mechanical self-locking; power and signal are integrated, and the space utilization rate is high. The application supports blind insertion, self-locking, large-current and signal co-transmission, significantly improves the connection reliability and charging flexibility, and is suitable for robot autonomous charging and the like scenes.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of electrical connector technology, specifically relating to a self-locking plug connector and its connector assembly. Background Technology

[0002] As electronic devices evolve towards miniaturization and high power density, the performance requirements for electrical connectors are increasing. On the one hand, connectors need to simultaneously achieve high-current power transmission and high-speed signal transmission within a limited volume to meet the needs of multifunctional integration in devices; on the other hand, connectors need to have a reliable connection retention structure to ensure that the plug and socket maintain stable and reliable electrical contact even under harsh operating environments such as vibration and shock.

[0003] As a rapidly developing intelligent device in recent years, humanoid robots have special and stringent requirements for their charging interfaces. Currently, humanoid robots mainly use contact charging interfaces, and some are also equipped with dual-arm collaborative precise docking to achieve fully autonomous operation.

[0004] However, existing charging connection solutions have the following main problems: First, conventional plug-in connectors require manual insertion, and the plug and socket usually need to be oriented correctly to complete the insertion. This cannot meet the non-directional requirements of humanoid robots charging autonomously, cannot achieve blind insertion, and manual operation is inefficient and difficult to adapt to fully autonomous operation scenarios. Second, conventional plug-in connectors lack a self-locking structure, making it impossible to lock the connector after insertion, which can easily cause the connector to loosen and fall off, limiting its use in vibration environments. Third, charging stations use contact points, which, although simple in structure, require the robot to precisely dock in a fixed position, occupy a large area, and have high requirements for the site environment, failing to meet the flexible charging needs of humanoid robots in diverse scenarios such as homes and offices.

[0005] To address the shortcomings of the existing technologies, this invention proposes a self-locking plug connector and its connector assembly, aiming to achieve blind insertion and self-locking charging, enabling humanoid robots to charge flexibly and autonomously without being restricted by location. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention provides a self-locking plug connector and its connector assembly, overcoming the problems in the prior art. The technical solution adopted by this invention is as follows:

[0007] A self-locking plug connector, mating with a socket connector, comprising:

[0008] A plug insulator has a bottom base and an annular sidewall extending from the outer periphery of the bottom base toward the mating end. The bottom base and the annular sidewall together form a circular mating cavity. A locking hole penetrating the inside and outside of the annular sidewall is provided on the annular sidewall. The surface of the bottom base facing the mating end is a first insertion reference surface.

[0009] A plug power terminal is fixed on the bottom base. The plug power terminal includes a first plug terminal and a second plug terminal that are coaxially sleeved together. The inner wall of the first plug terminal has multiple elastic contact portions.

[0010] Signal terminals, an even number of signal terminals are arranged radially at intervals on the bottom base, the top of the signal terminals protruding from the first plug reference surface, and at least two of the signal terminals are equidistant from the axial distance of the plug power terminal;

[0011] A latch, provided on the plug insulator, includes a latching part and an unlocking part. The latching part passes through the locking hole and is located inside the mating cavity for locking with the socket connector. The unlocking part is located outside the mating cavity. By applying an inward radial force to the unlocking part, the latching part can be disengaged from the mating cavity to achieve unlocking.

[0012] Furthermore, the plug power terminal includes a sleeve and a crown spring with multiple elastic contact portions fixed inside the sleeve. The elastic contact portions are formed by elastic contact arms inside the crown spring protruding towards the axis of the sleeve.

[0013] Furthermore, a locking sleeve is coaxially sleeved on the outside of the plug insulator. Under the action of external force, the locking sleeve can reciprocate along the axial direction of the plug insulator. When the locking sleeve slides to a predetermined position, the inner wall of the locking sleeve can abut against the unlocking part, converting the axial movement of the locking sleeve into radial pressure on the unlocking part, thereby unlocking.

[0014] Furthermore, the latch also includes a fixing part located between the unlocking part and the latching part. The fixing part of the latch is rotatably mounted in the bottom base of the plug insulator via a pivot. When unlocking, the locking sleeve moves away from the mating end and acts on the unlocking part of the latch, causing the latch to rotate around the pivot, thereby causing the latching part to lift up and unlock.

[0015] Furthermore, the plug connector also has a plug housing that is fixedly connected to the plug insulator, and a first elastic element is provided between the locking sleeve and the plug housing. In its natural state, the first elastic element pushes against the locking sleeve to prevent the locking sleeve from contacting the unlocking part.

[0016] Furthermore, the unlocking part has an arc-shaped protrusion, the inner wall of the lock sleeve has a protrusion, and one side of the protrusion has a slope. When the lock sleeve moves away from the docking direction, the slope can guide the protrusion to abut against the arc-shaped protrusion, thereby unlocking.

[0017] Furthermore, the latch is also provided with a second elastic element for applying a radially outward force to the unlocking part, so that the latch part remains in the mating cavity when no external force is applied.

[0018] Furthermore, the power terminal and the signal terminal of the plug extend from the side of the plug insulator away from the mating end, and are used to connect to the cable fixed at the tail end of the plug housing.

[0019] A connector assembly includes a receptacle connector and the aforementioned self-locking plug connector, the receptacle connector comprising: a receptacle insulator and...

[0020] The socket power terminal is coaxially fixed to the socket insulator, including a first socket terminal and a second socket terminal with a diameter smaller than the first socket terminal, and the socket insulator insulates and isolates the first socket terminal and the second socket terminal.

[0021] The socket housing is fixed to the outside of the socket insulator, and the side wall of the socket housing is provided with a locking groove that engages with the latch;

[0022] A signal contact is coaxially fixed to one side of the mating end of the socket housing. The signal contact has a central hole in the middle for the power terminal of the plug to pass through. The signal contact has a second insertion reference surface, on which a plurality of conductive rings coaxial with the central hole are provided.

[0023] After the plug connector mates with the socket connector, the first socket terminal and the second socket terminal respectively engage with the first plug terminal and the second plug terminal to form a multi-point electrical contact circuit; at least two of the signal terminals are connected to the same conductive ring; the latch is locked and fixed with the locking groove.

[0024] Furthermore, a conductor strip is connected to the back of the conductive ring of the signal contact, and the socket power terminal and the conductor strip extend from the socket insulator on the side away from the mating end to form a socket solder foot.

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0026] 1. Features a built-in mechanical self-locking function, ensuring high connection reliability.

[0027] The plug connector or socket connector of this invention constitutes an embedded mechanical locking mechanism. When the plug connector and socket connector are fully engaged, the latch engages with the locking hole, forming a stable axial constraint force that effectively resists accidental dislodgement caused by external forces such as vibration, impact, or cable dragging. Simultaneously, this latch structure allows for quick unlocking by pulling the locking sleeve, ensuring high reliability of the connection without sacrificing flexibility in insertion and removal, achieving a convenient "plug to lock, pull to unlock" operating experience.

[0028] 2. Supports blind insertion and flexible charging scenarios, adapting to intelligent autonomous charging needs.

[0029] The socket connector of this invention can be used as a charging interface in terminal devices with intelligent manipulators, such as robots. Because the plug connector and socket connector of this application can be smoothly inserted without distinguishing the circumferential direction during mating, this "non-directional" blind-mating design reduces alignment difficulties. Therefore, the manipulator of the intelligent terminal can autonomously grasp the plug connector and complete the mating operation with the socket connector, enabling the intelligent terminal to charge autonomously. In this process, there is no need to pre-set a fixed installation position or complex guiding mechanism for the charging base, making the charging scenarios more flexible and versatile, effectively improving the charging convenience of the intelligent terminal and broadening the product's applicability.

[0030] 3. High current carrying capacity and high signal transmission redundancy.

[0031] The plug power terminals and socket power terminals form multi-point electrical contacts, significantly increasing the effective contact area, reducing contact resistance, minimizing high-current heat loss, and suppressing temperature rise. Even if individual contacts fail due to wear or vibration, the remaining contacts can still maintain conductivity, avoiding local overload and connection failure, and ensuring the stability of long-term high-current transmission. The signal transmission end adopts a "one-ring, multiple-terminal" structure, with at least two signal terminals contacting the same conductive ring, forming redundant conductivity. Even if a single terminal fails, it will not affect normal signal transmission. The overall solution balances high-current carrying capacity and high-frequency signal stability. Attached Figure Description

[0032] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the following description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the plug connector of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the plug connector of the present invention, including the locking mechanism;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the plug connector of the present invention, including signal terminals;

[0036] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the socket connector of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 5 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the socket connector of the present invention, including the conductor strip;

[0038] Figure 6 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the socket connector of the present invention, including the socket insulator;

[0039] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the connector assembly in the mating and locking state of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the connector assembly of the present invention in the mating and locking state;

[0041] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of the connector assembly of the present invention in the unlocked state.

[0042] The components represented by each number in the attached diagram are explained below:

[0043] 100-Plug connector, 110-Plug insulator, 111-Bottom base, 112-First insertion reference surface, 113-Annular sidewall, 114-Mating cavity, 115-Lock hole, 120-Plug power terminal, 120a-First plug terminal, 120b-Second plug terminal, 121-Plug insertion cavity, 121a-First plug insertion cavity, 121b-Second plug insertion cavity, 122-Sleeve, 124-Crown spring, 130-Signal terminal, 140-Lock, 141-Unlocking part, 142-Fixing part, 143-Snap-on part, 144-Hinge, 145-Second elastic element, 150-Plug housing, 151-First elastic element, 160-Lock sleeve, 161-Protrusion, 162-Bevel, 170-Cable;

[0044] 200 - Socket connector, 210 - Socket insulator, 220 - Socket power terminal, 220a - First socket terminal, 220b - Second socket terminal, 221 - Socket insertion cavity, 221a - First socket insertion cavity, 221b - Second socket insertion cavity, 230 - Socket housing, 231 - Locking groove, 240 - Signal contact, 241 - Center hole, 242 - Conductive ring, 243 - Second insertion reference surface, 244 - Conductor strip, 245 - Socket solder pad.

[0045] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute an improper limitation of the invention. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0047] Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims are used to distinguish similar objects, not to describe a specific order or sequence, nor to imply the number of technical features shown. The terms "connection" and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly; for example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0048] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the term "axial" refers to the mating direction of the plug connector and the socket connector, "radial" refers to the direction perpendicular to the axial direction, and "mating end" refers to the end of the plug connector or socket connector used to mate with the other connector.

[0049] This invention provides a self-locking plug connector 100 for mating and connecting with a socket connector 200. (Reference) Figures 1 to 3 The plug connector 100 includes a plug insulator 110, a plug power terminal 120, a plurality of signal terminals 130, and a locking structure.

[0050] The plug insulator 110 is a one-piece structure injection molded from insulating material. The plug insulator 110 has an integrally formed bottom base 111 and an annular sidewall 113. The bottom base 111 is disc-shaped, with its surface facing the mating end serving as a first mating reference surface 112. The annular sidewall 113 extends from the outer periphery of the bottom base 111 along the mating direction, forming a circular mating cavity 114 together with the bottom base 111. A locking hole 115 is provided on the annular sidewall 113, penetrating both the inner and outer sides of the annular sidewall 113.

[0051] The plug power terminal 120 is fixed on the bottom base 111. The plug power terminal 120 includes a first plug terminal 120a and a second plug terminal 120b coaxially sleeved. The inner wall of the first plug terminal 120a has a plurality of elastic contact portions.

[0052] Signal terminals 130, an even number of signal terminals 130 are arranged radially at intervals on the bottom base 111, the top of the signal terminals 130 protrudes from the first plug reference surface 112, and at least two signal terminals 130 are equidistant from the axial distance of the plug power terminal 120.

[0053] The latch 140 is provided on the plug insulator 110 and includes a latching part 143 and an unlocking part 141. The latching part 143 passes through the locking hole 115 and is located in the mating cavity 114 for locking with the socket connector 200. The unlocking part 141 is located outside the mating cavity 114. By applying a radial force toward the axis of the plug power terminal 120 to the unlocking part 141, the latching part 143 can be disengaged from the mating cavity 114 to achieve unlocking.

[0054] Furthermore, the plug power terminal 120 and the plug insulator 110 are fixedly connected by injection molding insert molding. That is, the plug power terminal 120 is placed in the injection mold as an insert and injection molded in advance. After injection molding, it forms a fixed structure with the plug insulator 110. The contact and fixing point between the plug power terminal 120 and the plug insulator 110 has a retaining structure. Specifically, the outer wall of the plug power terminal 120 is provided with mesh or strip-shaped concave and convex textures to increase the connection stability between the two.

[0055] Furthermore, the diameter of the second plug terminal 120b is smaller than that of the first plug terminal 120a. A first plug insertion cavity 121a is formed between the first plug terminal 120a and the second plug terminal 120b, and the second plug terminal 120b has a second plug insertion cavity 121b inside. It is used to plug into the socket power terminal 220, and multiple elastic contacts form a multi-point elastic electrical contact circuit with the socket power terminal 220.

[0056] refer to Figure 1 In this embodiment, the signal terminals 130 are further located on both sides of the plug power terminal 120 and are symmetrically distributed. Specifically, the signal terminal 130 is a probe structure with an elastic contact portion at the end, such as a pogo pin. The pogo pin includes a needle shaft, a spring, and a needle tube. The needle shaft can extend and retract relative to the needle tube under the action of the spring, thereby maintaining a stable elastic contact with the conductive ring 242 of the signal contact 240 during docking.

[0057] In this embodiment, two symmetrical signal terminals 130 can be used for the transmission of the same signal, forming a double-point contact with the corresponding conductive ring 242 of the signal contact 240 of the socket connector 200, thereby improving safety redundancy. Furthermore, maintaining a uniform spacing between the signal terminals 130 and the power terminals effectively reduces electromagnetic interference from the power terminals to the signal terminals 130, improving the quality of signal transmission.

[0058] This application enables blind mating. The plug connector 100 adopts a circular mating cavity 114 body design, which, together with the layout structure of the plug power terminal 120 and signal terminal 130, facilitates the plugging and unplugging of the connector without the need for directional mating, thus improving the convenience of plugging and unplugging.

[0059] With flexible charging scenarios, the plug connector 100 and the corresponding socket connector 200 are used for charging terminal devices such as robots with intelligent operating arms. The operating arm of the intelligent terminal can operate autonomously to plug and unplug the plug connector 100, enabling the intelligent terminal to charge autonomously without the need to fix the charging base in advance. This makes the charging scenarios more flexible and effectively improves the charging convenience of the intelligent terminal.

[0060] The blind-fit design also features a self-locking function. A locking hole 115 is provided on the annular sidewall 113, and the latch portion 143 of the latch 140 extends from the locking hole 115, creating an embedded mechanical locking structure. Once fully engaged, the latch portion 143 locks with the socket connector 200, forming a stable axial constraint that effectively resists accidental dislodgement caused by vibration, impact, or cable dragging. Simultaneously, this latch 140 structure allows for quick unlocking by pressing the unlocking part 141 during insertion and removal, ensuring connection reliability without sacrificing insertion and removal flexibility, achieving convenient "plug and lock, press and unlock" operation.

[0061] The plug connector 100 integrates high-current charging and signal transmission. The layout of the power terminals and signal terminals 130 inside the plug connector 100 can simultaneously carry low-voltage high-current charging and multiple signal transmissions within the same circular cross-section, saving additional signal harnesses and other separate interfaces, reducing the number of holes in the whole machine, reducing material costs, and improving assembly efficiency.

[0062] The combined design features of these components result in a connector that supports blind mating, self-locking, simultaneous transmission of high current and signals, and high space utilization. It not only meets the needs of modern smart devices for an integrated "fast charging + communication" interface, but also demonstrates excellent shock resistance in industrial and new energy fields, enabling smart terminals to achieve the advantages of "any scenario, autonomous plugging and unplugging, and stable connection," significantly improving the charging reliability and flexibility of terminal products.

[0063] Preferably, the inner wall of the first plug terminal 120a and the inner wall of the second plug terminal 120b both have elastic contact portions.

[0064] Continue to refer to Figures 1 to 3 In this embodiment, the plug power terminal 120 includes a sleeve 122 and a crown spring 124 fixed inside the sleeve 122 and having multiple elastic contact portions. The elastic contact portions are formed by elastic contact arms inside the crown spring 124 protruding in the axial direction of the sleeve 122.

[0065] Specifically, the crown spring 124 has multiple elastic contact pieces distributed circumferentially, each of which arches and protrudes towards the axis of the sleeve 122. When the socket power terminal 220 is inserted, the elastic contact portion of the crown spring 124 forms multi-point elastic electrical contact with the inserted socket power terminal 220, thereby ensuring reliable electrical contact with the socket power terminal 220. Furthermore, both ends of the crown spring 124 are fixedly connected to the inner wall of the sleeve 122 by interference fit, welding, or snap-fit. An elastic deformation space is formed between the waist of the crown spring 124 and the inner wall of the sleeve 122, providing clearance for the deformation of the elastic contact pieces.

[0066] By fixing the crown spring 124 inside the sleeve 122, the elastic contact part of the crown spring 124 forms a multi-point elastic electrical contact with the power terminal 220 of the socket, which greatly increases the contact area and effectively reduces the contact resistance, making it suitable for high current transmission scenarios; at the same time, it gives the connector the advantages of gentle insertion and extraction force, long insertion and extraction life, and stable contact.

[0067] refer to Figures 2 to 3 In this embodiment, a locking sleeve 160 is coaxially sleeved on the outer side of the plug insulator 110. Under the action of external force, the locking sleeve 160 can reciprocate along the axial direction of the plug insulator 110. When the locking sleeve 160 slides to a predetermined position, the inner wall of the locking sleeve 160 can abut against the unlocking part 141, converting the axial movement of the locking sleeve 160 into radial pressure on the unlocking part 141, thereby unlocking.

[0068] refer to Figure 2 and Figure 9 In this embodiment, the latch 140 also includes a fixing part 142 located between the unlocking part 141 and the latching part 143. The fixing part 142 of the latch 140 is rotatably mounted in the bottom base 111 of the plug insulator 110 via a pivot 144. When unlocking, the locking sleeve 160 moves away from the mating end and acts on the unlocking part 141 of the latch 140, causing the latch 140 to rotate around the pivot 144, thereby causing the latching part 143 to lift up and unlock.

[0069] Specifically, the rotating shaft 144 passes through the fixing part 142 of the latch 140 and the shaft hole provided in the bottom base 111. The two ends of the rotating shaft 144 are limited by the bottom base 111, allowing the latch 140 to rotate around the rotating shaft 144. In this application, the latch 140 forms a lever mechanism, which realizes the labor-saving and efficient unlocking operation. At the same time, the lever latch 140 has a simple and reliable structure and low manufacturing cost.

[0070] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2The plug connector 100 is also provided with a plug housing 150 that is fixedly connected to the plug insulator 110. The specific implementation of the fixed connection is not limited here. The plug insulator 110 and the plug housing 150 can be fixedly connected by snap-fit, threaded connection or other mechanical connection. In this embodiment, the plug insulator 110 is fixedly connected to the plug housing 150 by bolts.

[0071] Furthermore, the inner wall of the locking sleeve 160 forms a mutually cooperating guide structure with the plug insulator 110 and the plug housing 150, which facilitates the smooth linear movement of the locking sleeve 160 during axial reciprocating sliding.

[0072] Continue to refer to Figures 2 to 3 A first elastic element 151 is provided between the locking sleeve 160 and the plug housing 150. In its natural state, the first elastic element 151 pushes against the locking sleeve 160, so that the protrusion 161 of the locking sleeve 160 and the unlocking part 141 are always kept out of contact. Specifically, the first elastic element 151 is limited and fixed between the limiting groove provided on the outer wall of the plug housing 150 and the protrusion 161 provided on the inner wall of the locking sleeve 160. The first elastic element 151 is specifically a ring spring sleeved on the outer periphery of the plug housing 150, so that the locking sleeve 160 can move axially relative to the plug housing 150 and the plug insulator 110.

[0073] The unlocking method described in this application is simple and quick; simply pull the outer casing. Once the external force is removed, the elastic restoring force of the first elastic element 151 pushes the lock sleeve 160 back to its initial position, eliminating the need for manual pushing. Furthermore, the desired unlocking force can be adjusted by changing the elastic force of the first elastic element 151.

[0074] refer to Figure 2 , Figure 8 , Figure 9 In this embodiment, the unlocking part 141 has an arc-shaped protrusion, the inner wall of the lock sleeve 160 is provided with a protrusion 161, and a slope 162 is provided on one side of the protrusion 161. When the lock sleeve 160 moves away from the docking direction, the slope 162 can guide the protrusion 161 to abut against the arc-shaped protrusion to achieve unlocking.

[0075] When unlocking is required, the operator pulls the locking sleeve 160 backward (i.e. away from the mating end). The inclined surface 162 makes the axial movement of the locking sleeve 160 smooth, and the protrusion 161 of the locking sleeve 160 presses the unlocking part 141, causing the latch 140 to rotate around the pivot 144. The latch part 143 tilts into the lock hole 115, thereby disengaging from the locking groove 231 of the socket connector 200 and achieving unlocking.

[0076] Furthermore, an outer ring platform is formed at the connection between the annular sidewall 113 of the plug insulator 110 and the bottom base 111. The plug housing 150 abuts against the outer ring platform. The outer ring platform interacts with the protrusion 161 on the inner wall of the locking sleeve 160, which restricts the axial movement of the locking sleeve 160, prevents the locking sleeve 160 from moving excessively and causing unlocking failure or structural damage, and ensures the reliability and stability of the unlocking operation.

[0077] In this embodiment, the latch 140 is further provided with a second elastic member 145 for applying a radially outward force to the unlocking part 141, so that the latch part 143 is kept in the docking cavity 114 when no external force is applied.

[0078] Furthermore, since the latch 140 is rotatably connected to the bottom base 111, the movement directions of the latch portion 143 and the unlocking portion 141 relative to the bottom base 111 are opposite. Specifically, the latch portion 143 also has a guide structure. When the socket connector 200 is inserted, it is pressed against the guide structure of the latch portion 143, so that the latch portion 143 is received in the lock hole 115. After the insertion is completed, under the action of the second elastic member 145, the unlocking portion 141 moves outward, causing the latch portion 143 to move inward and be in the mating cavity 114, thereby always maintaining the locked state.

[0079] Preferably, the second elastic element 145 is a torsion spring, with the two torsion arms of the torsion spring abutting against the latch 140 and the plug insulator 110 respectively. When the latch 140 is unlocked and rotated, the torsion spring undergoes elastic deformation. After the unlocking external force is removed, the torsion spring provides a rotational force to drive the latch 140 to reset.

[0080] Specifically, the second elastic element 145 is sleeved on the rotating shaft 144, realizing the automatic reset of the latch 140, ensuring that the latch 140 is always in the locked position when not unlocked, thus improving the security of locking; the dual elastic element configuration of the second elastic element 145 and the first elastic element 151 enables both locking and unlocking operations to have an automatic reset function, resulting in a better user experience.

[0081] In this embodiment, the plug power terminal 120 and signal terminal 130 extend from the side of the plug insulator 110 away from the mating end, and are used to connect to the cable 170 fixed at the tail end of the plug housing 150.

[0082] Furthermore, the plug housing 150 has a conical opening structure with a larger opening at the top than at the bottom. The end of the larger opening at the top of the plug housing 150 abuts against the outer ring platform formed by the plug insulator 110 and is fixed on the side of the plug insulator 110 away from the plug end. The smaller opening at the bottom facilitates the cable 170 to pass through. The conical internal space can accommodate the overall structure in which the plug power terminal 120 and signal terminal 130 are electrically connected to the cable 170.

[0083] refer to Figures 4 to 6The present invention also provides a connector assembly, including the aforementioned self-locking plug connector 100 and a socket connector 200 mating therewith. The socket connector 200 includes a socket insulator 210, a socket power terminal 220, a socket housing 230, a signal contact 240, and a plurality of signal terminals 130.

[0084] The socket power terminal 220 is coaxially fixed inside the socket insulator 210, including a first socket terminal 220a and a second socket terminal 220b with a diameter smaller than the first socket terminal 220a. The socket insulator 210 insulates and isolates the first socket terminal 220a and the second socket terminal 220b.

[0085] The socket housing 230 is fixed to the outside of the socket insulator 210. The side wall of the socket housing 230 is provided with a locking groove 231 that engages with the latch 140. Preferably, the socket housing 230 has a plug end with a circular outer periphery, and the locking groove 231 is located on the side wall of the plug end.

[0086] The signal contact 240 is fixed to one side of the mating end of the socket housing 230. The signal contact 240 has a central hole 241 in the middle for the plug power terminal 120 to pass through. The signal contact 240 has a second insertion reference surface 243. Multiple conductive rings 242 are provided on the second insertion reference surface 243, which are coaxial with the central hole 241.

[0087] refer to Figures 7 to 9 After the plug connector 100 and the socket connector 200 are mated, the first socket terminal 220a and the second socket terminal 220b are respectively inserted into the first plug terminal 120a and the second plug terminal 120b to form a multi-point electrical contact circuit; at least two signal terminals 130 are connected to the same conductive ring 242; the latch 140 is locked and fixed with the locking groove 231.

[0088] Furthermore, the first plug terminal 120a and the first socket terminal 220a form a first electrical contact, and the second plug terminal 120b and the second socket terminal 220b form a second electrical contact. The plug insulator 110 or the socket insulator 210 forms an insulating barrier between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact.

[0089] Specifically, a socket insulator 210 is attached to the inner wall of the first socket terminal 220a, so that a second socket insertion cavity 221b is formed between the outer wall of the second socket terminal 220b and the socket insulator 210, and a first socket insertion cavity 221a is formed between the outer wall of the first socket terminal 220a and the socket insulator 210; as mentioned above, a first plug insertion cavity 121a is formed between the first plug terminal 120a and the second plug terminal 120b, and the second plug terminal 120b has a second plug insertion cavity 121b inside.

[0090] After the plug connector 100 and the socket connector 200 are mated, the first socket insertion cavity 221a accommodates the first plug terminal 120a; the second socket insertion cavity 221b accommodates the second plug terminal 120b; the first plug insertion cavity 121a accommodates the first socket terminal 220a; and the second plug insertion cavity 121b accommodates the second socket terminal 220b. At this time, the socket insulator 210 forms an insulating barrier between the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact.

[0091] Specifically, the socket insulator 210 forms an insulating strip inside the first socket terminal 220a, and the insulating strip port is provided with a guide groove; each socket power terminal 220 protrudes from the central hole 241; the central hole 241 is flush with the insulating wall constituting the socket insertion cavity 221 in the axial direction, and the edge of the central hole 241 of the signal contact 240 is chamfered to facilitate insertion with the plug power terminal 120 of the plug connector 100.

[0092] By setting a structure with coaxially sleeved socket power terminals 220, a one-to-one plug-in engagement is formed with the plug power terminals 120, enabling simultaneous transmission of multiple power sources. The socket insulator 210 insulates and isolates each socket power terminal 220, ensuring that no short circuit occurs between power circuits. A socket insertion cavity 221 is formed on the outside of each socket power terminal 220, which complements the plug insertion cavity 121 of the plug power terminal 120, allowing the plug power terminal 120 and the socket power terminal 220 to be accurately inserted into each other, achieving reliable mechanical contact and electrical connection. The side wall of the socket housing 230 is provided with a locking groove 231, which forms a locking engagement with the plug latch 140, ensuring the stability of the connection after the plug and socket are mated. Multiple conductive rings 242 are set on the signal contact 240, enabling simultaneous transmission of multiple signals and further improving the integration of the connector. The socket power terminals 220 are housed in the central hole 241, making the entire socket mating surface flat and avoiding the risk of terminal damage.

[0093] Compared to traditional single-point or two-point contact methods, multi-point contact can significantly increase the contact area and reduce contact resistance, thereby reducing heat generation and improving high-current transmission capacity. At the same time, multi-point contact also provides redundant contact paths. Even if individual contact points become faulty due to wear from plugging and unplugging or vibration, the remaining contact points can still ensure the reliability of the electrical connection, effectively avoiding open circuits or burn-out problems caused by poor contact.

[0094] The signal contact 240 simplifies the overall structure; and the plug signal terminals 130 can contact the conductive rings 242 without requiring directional contact. Due to the symmetrically distributed plug signal terminals 130 and the conductive rings 242, each conductive ring 242 on the signal contact 240 is electrically connected to at least two signal terminals 130. This "one ring, multiple terminals" conduction method provides redundant transmission paths for each signal. Even if one signal terminal 130 experiences poor contact due to manufacturing tolerances, insertion / removal deformation, or fatigue after long-term use, the other signal terminal 130 can still ensure normal transmission of that signal. Furthermore, the simultaneous contact of multiple signal terminals 130 with the same conductive ring 242 effectively reduces the contact resistance of signal transmission, improving signal integrity and transmission reliability.

[0095] Furthermore, a conductor strip 244 is connected to the back of the conductive ring 242 of the signal contact 240, and the socket power terminal 220 and the conductor strip 244 extend out of the insulator on the side away from the mating end to form the socket solder foot 245.

[0096] refer to Figure 5 By connecting a conductor strip 244 to the back of the conductive ring 242 of the signal contact 240, and by having the socket power terminal 220 and the conductor strip 244 pass through the socket insulator 210 on the side away from the mating end to form a socket solder foot 245, the socket connector 200 is surface mounted or through-hole soldered to the external circuit board.

[0097] refer to Figure 4 Specifically, the signal contact 240 can be a PCB board, which uses the printed circuit technology of the PCB board to form a high-precision concentric conductive ring 242, ensuring the concentricity accuracy and insulation performance of each conductive ring 242, and ensuring reliable conduction with the plug signal terminal 130.

[0098] Furthermore, a plug magnetic element is fixed within the bottom base 111 of the plug insulator 110, and the plug magnetic elements are symmetrically arranged. Similarly, a socket magnetic element is symmetrically arranged between the socket insulator 210 and the outer shell, attracting the plug magnetic elements. The plug magnetic elements attract the socket magnetic elements in the socket connector 200, providing auxiliary guidance and centering force when the plug connector 100 and socket connector 200 mate, enabling the plug and socket to quickly and accurately mate; preventing terminal damage caused by misalignment; and simultaneously, the magnetic attraction helps the locking structure provide a certain holding force, enhancing the stability of the connection.

[0099] The above embodiments are preferred embodiments of the present invention, but not all embodiments. Any equivalent changes to the technical solutions of the invention made by those skilled in the art after reading the specification of the present invention are covered by the present invention.

Claims

1. A self-locking plug connector, mating and connecting with a socket connector, characterized in that, include: A plug insulator has a bottom base and an annular sidewall extending from the outer periphery of the bottom base toward the mating end. The bottom base and the annular sidewall together form a circular mating cavity. A locking hole penetrating the inside and outside of the annular sidewall is provided on the annular sidewall. The surface of the bottom base facing the mating end is a first insertion reference surface. A plug power terminal is fixed on the bottom base. The plug power terminal includes a first plug terminal and a second plug terminal that are coaxially sleeved together. The inner wall of the first plug terminal has multiple elastic contact portions. Signal terminals, an even number of signal terminals are arranged radially at intervals on the bottom base, the top of the signal terminals protruding from the first plug reference surface, and at least two of the signal terminals are equidistant from the axial distance of the plug power terminal; A latch, provided on the plug insulator, includes a latching part and an unlocking part. The latching part passes through the locking hole and is located inside the mating cavity for locking with the socket connector. The unlocking part is located outside the mating cavity. By applying an inward radial force to the unlocking part, the latching part can be disengaged from the mating cavity to achieve unlocking.

2. The self-locking plug connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The plug power terminal includes a sleeve and a crown spring with multiple elastic contact portions fixed inside the sleeve. The elastic contact portions are formed by elastic contact arms inside the crown spring protruding towards the axis of the sleeve.

3. The self-locking plug connector according to claim 1, characterized in that, A locking sleeve is coaxially fitted on the outside of the plug insulator. Under the action of external force, the locking sleeve can reciprocate along the axial direction of the plug insulator. When the locking sleeve slides to a predetermined position, the inner wall of the locking sleeve can abut against the unlocking part, converting the axial movement of the locking sleeve into radial pressure on the unlocking part, thereby unlocking.

4. The self-locking plug connector according to claim 3, characterized in that, The latch also includes a fixing part located between the unlocking part and the latching part. The fixing part of the latch is rotatably mounted in the bottom base of the plug insulator via a pivot. When unlocking, the locking sleeve moves away from the mating end and acts on the unlocking part of the latch, causing the latch to rotate around the pivot, thereby lifting the latching part to achieve unlocking.

5. The self-locking plug connector according to claim 3, characterized in that, The plug connector also has a plug housing that is fixedly connected to the plug insulator. A first elastic element is provided between the locking sleeve and the plug housing. In its natural state, the first elastic element pushes against the locking sleeve to prevent the locking sleeve from contacting the unlocking part.

6. The self-locking plug connector according to claim 3, characterized in that, The unlocking part has an arc-shaped protrusion, and the inner wall of the lock sleeve has a protrusion. One side of the protrusion has a slope. When the lock sleeve moves away from the docking direction, the slope can guide the protrusion to abut against the arc-shaped protrusion, thereby unlocking.

7. The self-locking plug connector according to claim 4, characterized in that, The latch is also provided with a second elastic element for applying a radially outward force to the unlocking part, so that the latch part remains in the docking cavity when no external force is applied.

8. The self-locking plug connector according to claim 5, characterized in that, The power terminal and the signal terminal of the plug extend from the side of the plug insulator away from the mating end, and are used to connect to the cable fixed at the tail end of the plug housing.

9. A connector assembly comprising a receptacle connector and a self-locking plug connector as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The socket connector includes: a socket insulator and The socket power terminal is coaxially fixed to the socket insulator, including a first socket terminal and a second socket terminal with a diameter smaller than the first socket terminal, and the socket insulator insulates and isolates the first socket terminal and the second socket terminal. The socket housing is fixed to the outside of the socket insulator, and the side wall of the socket housing is provided with a locking groove that engages with the latch; A signal contact is coaxially fixed to one side of the mating end of the socket housing. The signal contact has a central hole in the middle for the power terminal of the plug to pass through. The signal contact has a second insertion reference surface, on which a plurality of conductive rings coaxial with the central hole are provided. After the plug connector mates with the socket connector, the first socket terminal and the second socket terminal respectively engage with the first plug terminal and the second plug terminal to form a multi-point electrical contact circuit; at least two of the signal terminals are connected to the same conductive ring; the latch is locked and fixed with the locking groove.

10. The connector assembly according to claim 9, characterized in that, A conductor strip is connected to the back of the conductive ring of the signal contact. The socket power terminal and the conductor strip extend from the socket insulator on the side away from the mating end to form the socket solder feet.

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