Space-reduced connector housing, connector flange and connector system

Abstract

Connector housing (10) for a plug connection system (1) for establishing a preferably detachable electrically conductive connection between at least two contacting elements, comprising a housing wall for at least partially enclosing connector components and at least one opening for forming a contacting zone K, wherein the opening in the region of the contacting zone K is supplemented by an external flange plate (10') which essentially has a quadrangular projection surface with a first edge length a and a second edge length b, characterized in that the connector housing (10) encloses the connector components in the housing interior in such a way that an edge length ratio a / b of 0.75 to 0.8, preferably 0.77, is formed, so that a space reduction of up to 13% is supported compared to the initial housing state with dead space volumes or an edge length ratio a / b of 0.45 to 0.55, preferably 0.5, so that a space reduction of up to 25% compared to the initial housing state with dead space volumes is supported, so that the housing volume is reduced.

Description

The invention relates to a plug connector housing, a plug connector flange and a plug connection system formed therefrom for producing a preferably releasable electrically conductive connection between at least two contacting elements, having a housing wall for enclosing plug connector components at least in regions and at least one opening for forming a contacting zone, wherein the opening in the region of the contacting zone K is supplemented by an outer flange plate which substantially has a quadrangular projection surface with a first edge length a and a second edge length b.Plug connectors in a wide variety of designs and variants are used for contacting or producing releasable electrically conductive connections. The known plug connectors are available in a large number of different configurations, for example with regard to the number of poles, electrical powers and the conditioning of a wide variety of external influences such as moisture, temperature, corrosive media or mechanical loads. Depending on the environmental conditions and the effects resulting therefrom, it must be ensured that the contacting task is implemented permanently, reliably and without problems. To achieve this goal, protection types have been defined which are expressed by IP codes (IP=International Protection) and which have been stored with checking methods with various environmental conditions.Plug connectors for realizing different types of protection or IP codes, IP classes are in many cases enclosed by housings, enclosed, partially or completely sealed or also shielded.If housings or plug connectors of corresponding design are used to fulfill, in particular, higher IP classes, for example IP65 or IP68, the disadvantage frequently arises that constructions of this type must take up not inconsiderable space, which is contrary to the requirement of compact plug connector situations which is present in many cases.Likewise relevant for installation space have two-part plug connector housings, the fixing of which relative to one another is brought about by locking devices. DE 10 2013 108 939 A1 discloses plug connector housings which are formed in two parts in the form of an upper housing part and a lower housing part and normally serve to receive contact inserts to which the individual conductors of one or more cables can be connected. In this case, contact inserts are arranged in the upper housing part and the lower housing part, it being possible for the contact inserts in the upper housing part to be connected in an electrically contacting manner to the contact inserts in the lower housing part by joining the upper housing part to the lower housing part. In order that the contact inserts of the upper housing part and of the lower housing part, which are connected to one another in an electrically contacting manner, cannot be detached from one another again by being provided, for example by a slight tension on the cable, the upper housing part and the lower housing part are locked to one another. The locking is usually effected via at least two U-shaped locking brackets which are each detachably mounted on a bearing pin formed on the upper housing part or the lower housing part, and the locking brackets mounted on the bearing pin can be pivoted into the locking cams formed on the upper housing part by means of a rocker lever-like movement. The teaching according to the invention of DE 10 2013 108 939 A1 proposes, for reducing the installation space, a preferably planar locking tab instead of a locking bracket in the form of a planar plate, so that the locking tab in the locked state can bear planarly on the upper housing part and / or the lower housing part and the space requirement or installation space of the plug connector housing can thereby be reduced compared to plug connector housings with locking brackets.DE 20 2015 103 923 U1 proposes an electrical plug connector, which has an insulating plug connector housing and at least one electrical contact element accommodated in the plug connector housing, for the purpose of reducing the installation space with regard to the required fixing of the contact elements. The plug connector housing forms a plug side and a connection side opposite the plug side. In addition, at least one contact opening is formed in the plug connector housing. The contact opening extends from the plug side of the plug connector through the plug connector housing to the connection side of the plug connector. The plug connector housing simultaneously forms the base body of the electrical plug connector and combines the functions of insulating contact carrier, housing and latching.Another design approach for reducing the installation space of plug connector elements is provided in DE 20 2015 105 742 U1. The idea approach here is that within the plug connector housing, plug module, each contact unit has a plurality of contact elements arranged offset essentially perpendicular to the displacement direction. Due to the contact elements arranged offset essentially perpendicular to the displacement direction, the contact elements can move closer together in the displacement direction, since in this way more installation space is available in the displacement direction.DE 20 2016 104 891 U1 uses the approach that matable plug connectors are formed primarily by a housing, which essentially satisfy a circular cylindrical base body, have a receptacle for a plug unit, and the plug connector housing comprises a flange for fastening the plug connector housing in the region of a mounting opening of a housing, for the purpose of reducing the installation space. The preferably rectangular flange is formed by a rectangular flange plate in which at least two fastening openings are arranged, by means of which the plug connector housing can be fastened.US 2014 / 0302712 A1 discloses a connecting device with a coupling device for a data bus line, in particular for a line which meets the requirements of the American standard MIL-STD-1553B and offers a solution with regard to a data bus line which can be installed in the data bus network in a modular manner and seeks a relatively low weight and requires no fastening means as connection equipment in order not to damage the structure of the vehicle in which the data bus network is mounted.The teaching of DE 74 31 608 U discloses an improvement in the snap-in bracket connection in that damage is counteracted constructively. To prevent such damage, it is provided that the brackets are substantially rectangular and are preferably cranked in their longitudinal sides and that clamping slots are also provided in the half shells, which slots extend parallel to the plane of the plug connector part, for receiving a narrow side of the latching brackets. It is also provided that the slot length corresponds at least approximately to the distance between the two longitudinal sides of the stirrup.It is the object of the invention to further develop plug connection systems, plug modules or plug connectors and their housings, in particular when realizing higher IP classes, with regard to their installation space requirement and to improve them in such a way that the installation space stress is reduced. Higher IP classes within the meaning of the invention are protection classes which must be observed under "harsh use conditions" such as moisture, temperature, oscillations and are often classified into IP65, IP67 or IP68.The invention recognizes that, by compressing the inner components of the plug connectors and / or eliminating inner empty spaces surrounded by the housing, the outer dimensions of the plug connector housing can be reduced and an installation space requirement can be minimized.Interior empty spaces, dead spaces, interior empty spaces, interior dead spaces, dead space volumes within the meaning of the invention are volume elements which are located in the interior of the plug connector housing and have no functional task and / or do not accommodate plug connector elements and can therefore be eliminated virtually without loss of function in order to reduce the total volume encompassed by the plug connector housings.The teaching according to the invention identifies, in the case of existing IP68 housings, internal empty spaces which are not absolutely necessary and which can be reduced or even eliminated as dead spaces by geometric redesign of the enclosing housing, such that the external housing dimensions can be reduced.The housing according to the invention can be configured as round, square, rectangular or square in its external and / or internal geometries. The projection surfaces of different cut surfaces varying over the height of the housing can be congruent or varying, in particular in such a way that the housing tapers continuously or discontinuously in its outer dimensions with increasing distance from the contacting zone.In addition to the reduction in the structural space of the housing due to the partly or completely eliminated dead inner spaces, a direct structural consequence is that the usually used internal fastening screws for fixing plug-in modules, plug-in connectors or contacting devices can be omitted and functionally replaced by flange plates which are provided on the external geometry of the housing. Depending on the geometric housing design, the internal fastening screws that are then no longer present can optionally be substituted by clamping and clip connections or catches.According to the invention, it is provided that the flange plates used, in addition to the fastening devices for fixing to a component and optional centering or mounting aids, are designed, for example, as centering lugs or threading slopes via at least one fastening device for connecting the flange-based plug partner (for example, with plug contacts) to the housing-based plug partner (plug connectors, for example, with plug shoes). According to the invention, all types of clamping and clip connections are possible as fixing devices, in particular also releasable connecting elements such as screws.The positioning of the at least one fixing device for connecting the two plug connector partners can be carried out in an axis-symmetrical or point-symmetrical manner relative to the flange outer dimensions and / or the plug hole pattern of the contacting elements. Depending on the selected symmetry form, housing volume reductions and thus installation space reduction of up to 25% in comparison to the housing starting state with dead space volumes are possible by the invention.The housing design according to the invention and / or the corresponding flange design supports the installation space reduction of up to 13% in comparison with the housing starting state with dead space volumes at an edge length ratio a / b or a' / b' of the quadrangular basic shape of approximately 0.77. If the teaching according to the invention is implemented by an edge length ratio a / b or a' / b' of the square basic shape of approximately 0.5, the installation space reduction can be up to 25% compared to the housing starting state with dead space volumes.The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to two exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the figures. The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows the perspective view of a first design example of the plug connection system consisting of the plug connector housing and the corresponding plug connector flange and below it a plan view of the plug connector flange; FIG. 2 shows the perspective view of a second design example of the plug connection system consisting of the plug connector housing and the corresponding plug connector flange and below this a plan view of the plug connector flange.FIG. 1 comprises the perspective view of a first design example of the plug connection system 1 consisting of the plug connector housing 10 and the corresponding plug connector flange 20 and, below this, a plan view of the plug connector flange 20. The plug connector housing 10 can have constant or varying variable edge lengths a, b in the extension course aligned with the plug-in direction. The same applies to the edge length ratio a / b. Furthermore, the plug connector housing 10 can have shoulders, edge length jumps and / or discontinuities in the extension profile in some regions.The contacting zone K of the plug connector housing 10 corresponds to the plug connector flange 20 with regard to its dimensions and the contacting hole pattern (not shown) in such a way that it supports a plug-in connection. If the plug connector housing 10 and the plug connector flange 20 are plugged, these elements of the plug connector system 1 can be coupled to one another by at least one suitable, preferably releasable, fixing device ( 11, 21). The screw 11 with threaded bore or threaded blind hole 21 selected as a fixing device in the exemplary embodiment secures the plug connection in the contact zone K against undesired slipping apart, so that the contact state is maintained.According to the invention, it is possible to also realize higher IP classifications using the exemplary embodiment shown, for example IP65, IP67 or IP68.As a result of the dead space minimization in the interior of the plug connector housing 10, the edge lengths a, b or a', b' can be reduced with the direct consequence that the external dimensions both of the plug connector housing 10 and of the plug connector flange 20 are also reduced in comparison with plug connector systems without dead space minimization. The exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 has an edge length ratio a' / b' of approximately 0.75 to 0.8, preferably 0.77, with the result that the installation space reduction of up to 13% can be achieved in comparison with the housing starting state with dead space volumes. The direct, generally non-linear relationship between the required installation space for the plug connector housing 10 and the plug connector flange edge lengths a', b' and / or their ratio a' / b' to one another is-provided that the installation height of the plug connector housing 10 is comparable and that the respective approximately constant area requirement for possible additional devices-provided by the base or projection area in the contact zone K. The flange hole image and, correspondingly, the connector housing hole image in the region of the contact-making zone K have a point-symmetrical behavior, realized here by an inverse mirroring at center line x-x.FIG. 2 shows the perspective view of a second design example of the plug connection system 1 consisting of the plug connector housing 10 and the corresponding plug connector flange 20 and below this a plan view of the plug connector flange 20. The flange hole image and, correspondingly, the connector housing hole image in the region of the contact-making zone K have an axially symmetrical behavior with respect to the x-x and the y-y center line. An a' / b' edge length ratio of approximately 0.45 to 0.55, preferably 0.5, is realized, with the result that the installation space reduction of up to 25% in comparison to the housing starting state can be achieved with dead space volumes. According to the invention, it is possible to also support higher IP classifications using the exemplary embodiment shown, for example IP65, IP67 or IP68.List of reference characters1 Plug connection system 10 Plug connector housing 10' Flange plate of the plug connector housing 11 Fixing device Plug connector housing 12 Receiving region, Insertion opening for line a First edge length Plug connector housing b Second edge length Plug connector housing 20 Plug connector flange 20' Flange plate 21 Fixing device (plug connector flange with plug connector housing) 22 Fixing device (plug connector flange on arbitrary component) a' First edge length Plug connector flange b' Second edge length Plug connector flange K Contact zone x Center line y Center line

Claims

Plug connector housing (10) for a plug connection system (1) for producing a preferably releasable electrically conductive connection between at least two contacting elements, having a housing wall for enclosing plug connector components at least in regions and at least one opening for forming a contacting zone K, wherein the opening in the region of the contacting zone K is supplemented by an outer flange plate (10'), which substantially has a quadrangular projection surface with a first edge length a and a second edge length b, characterized in that the plug connector housing (10) encloses the plug connector components in the housing interior at least in regions in such a way and an edge length ratio a / b of 0.75 to 0.8, preferably 0.77, is formed, such that an installation space reduction of up to 13% compared to the housing starting state is supported with dead space volumes or an edge length ratio a / b of 0.45 to 0.55, Preferably, 0.5 is formed, so that an installation space reduction of up to 25% compared to the initial housing state is supported with dead space volumes, so that the housing volume is reduced.Plug connector housing (10) for a plug connection system (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the housing volume and the installation space requirement are reduced by the at least partial elimination of interior empty spaces.Plug connector housing (10) for a plug connector system (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the contacting elements can be fixed in the interior of the plug connector housing by clamping and / or clip and / or latching connections.Plug connector housing (10) for a plug connection system (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the flange plate (10') has at least one fixing device (11).Connector flange (20) for a plug connection system (1) for producing a preferably releasable electrically conductive connection between at least two contacting elements, having a contacting zone K, characterized in that the contacting zone K is formed corresponding to the contacting zone of the connector housing (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 4, such that contacting of contacting elements is assisted by plugging together.Connector flange (20) for a connector system (1) according to claim 5, characterised in that the connector flange (20) has a flange plate (20').Connector flange (20) for a connector system (1) according to claim 6, characterised in that the flange plate (20') of the connector flange (20) has at least one fixing device (21) in a manner corresponding to the flange plate (10') of the connector housing (10).Connector flange (20) for a connector system (1) according to claim 6, characterised in that the flange plate (20') of the connector flange (20) has at least one fastening device (22).Connector flange (20) for a connector system (1) according to claim 6, characterised in that the connector flange (20) has a hole pattern which is symmetrical in point or axis.Plug connection system (1) for producing a preferably releasable electrically conductive connection between at least two contacting elements, comprising at least one plug connector housing (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 4 and at least one plug connector flange (20) according to one of Claims 5 to 9, wherein the plug connection system (1) has the protection class IP68.

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