Electrical connector system

Abstract

An electrical plug-in connection system, wherein, to establish the plug-in connection, a plug-in connector can be plugged together with a receptacle (10) for a first plug-in connector (18) or a second plug-in connector (44), wherein the receptacle (10) can be plugged together selectively either with a first plug-in connector (18), which can be fixed in its state plugged together with the receptacle (10) by means of a fixing element (20), or with a second plug-in connector (44), wherein the fixing element (20) is connected to the receptacle (10) by means of a guide arrangement such that it can be moved back and forth in a pivoting movement between a fixing position, in which the fixing element (20) fixes the first plug-in connector (18) in its state plugged together with the receptacle (10), and a release position, in which the fixing element (20) can be released from the receptacle (10) to enable the receptacle (10) to be plugged together with the second plug-in connector (44),wherein the guide arrangement has grooves (26) in which pivot axis projections (22) are guided, wherein due to the orientation of the guide arrangement, the fixing element (20) can be connected to the receptacle (10) and detached from the receptacle (10) in a direction (34) perpendicular to the direction in which the plug-in connector (18) associated with the respective fixing element (20) can be plugged together with the receptacle (10), wherein the receptacle (10) is a component of a housing part (12).

Description

The invention relates to an electrical plug-in connection system, wherein a plug-in connector can be plugged together with a receptacle for a plug-in connector in order to produce the plug-in connection.Such plug connection systems are sufficiently known in the prior art. They serve in particular to fasten an electrical line to an electrical device. The line can serve for the energy supply in this case, but signals, for example control and / or measurement signals, can also be transmitted via the line. The line can serve to supply the device with electrical energy, and the device can likewise emit electrical energy via the line.Accordingly, a plurality of connector systems have become established. The plug connection systems can provide, for example, that the plug connectors can be fixed by means of fixing elements in the state plugged together with the receptacle. Such a connection enables a quick fastening of the plug connectors in the plugged-together state and a likewise quick removal of the plug connectors from the receptacle. The disadvantage of such a configuration is that the mechanisms required for this often entail specific requirements on the geometry of the plug connectors. Furthermore, it is possible for plug connectors to have specific functionalities. This can likewise be associated with a specific space requirement in the region of the plug connector, which can in turn have an interfering effect with regard to the compatibility with a plug connection system in which the plug connector is fixed in the receptacle by means of a fixing element.Thus, US 5 320 544 A discloses a mechanism for preventing a lever-like connection from being operated incorrectly, wherein each connector fitting operation can be smoothly performed, wherein a cam lever is prevented from being rotated incorrectly when a male connector is inserted into a female connector housing on which the cam lever is rotatably supported to assume a half fitted state.DE 11 2013 001 048 T5 discloses a lever connector having a first connector housing and a second connector housing to be fitted and connected to the first connector housing, and a fitting lever pivotally installed to the first connector housing as a lever member to reduce the operation force for fitting / releasing the first connector housing to / from the second connector housing.DE 10 2013 212 914 A1 discloses a plug-in system for a control unit of a vehicle, which comprises a plug, for example a cable harness plug, and a plug-in module. The plug is designed to establish an electrical connection with the plug-in module. The plug has a plug lever which is designed to be moved from a starting position into an end position and in the process to pull the plug in the direction of the plug module by means of a lever arm which engages in the plug module.The object of the invention is therefore to show a plug-in connection system which has a higher flexibility with respect to the plug-in connectors which can be plugged together with a receptacle.The object is achieved by an electrical plug-in connection system having the features of claim 1.The electrical plug-in connection system provides that the receptacle can be plugged together selectively either with a first plug-in connector or with a second plug-in connector. The first plug connector can be fixed by a fixing element in its state plugged together with the receptacle. The second plug connector can be fastenable to the receptacle by fastening means. The fastening means can be screws, for example.The fixing element is connected to the receptacle by means of a guide arrangement in such a way that it can be moved back and forth between a fixing position and a release position in a pivoting movement. In its fixing position, the fixing element can fix the first plug connector in its state plugged together with the receptacle. In this way, the fixing element secures the first plug connector against undesired detachment from the receptacle.In the release position, the fixing element is releasable from the receptacle. By releasing the fixing element from the receptacle, the mating of the receptacle with the second plug connector is made possible.In this way, it is made possible that the second plug connector can also be designed in such a way that the mating of the second plug connector with the receptacle would be hindered by the fixing element, if the fixing element were not previously detached from the receptacle. The fixing element can be handled in its conceivable simplest manner. In particular, no tool is required to release the fixing element from the receptacle.In particular, the receptacle can be plugged together with a further plug connector in addition to the first plug connector. The further plug connector can preferably be fixed by a further fixing element in its state plugged together with the receptacle. The further fixing element is connected to the receptacle by means of a further guide arrangement in such a way that it can be moved back and forth between a fixing position and a release position in a pivoting movement. In the fixing position, the further fixing element fixes the further plug connector in its state plugged together with the receptacle, and in its release position, the further fixing element is releasable from the receptacle in order to enable the receptacle to be plugged together with the second plug connector.It is possible that the plug connection system has additional plug connectors and fixing elements in addition to the above-described one. These can in particular likewise be configured as described above.In particular, the plug connection system is designed such that the second plug connector can be plugged together with the receptacle only when all fixing elements are detached from the receptacle.The fixing element and / or the further fixing element can be designed as an injection-molded part. Production as an injection-molded part enables cost-effective production of large numbers. In particular in connection with the production of the fixing element and / or the further fixing element as an injection-molded part, it is advantageous if the fixing element and the further fixing element are configured identically.The guide arrangement has grooves in which projections are guided. The further guide arrangement can have grooves in which projections are guided. The projections are arranged here in particular on the fixing element and / or the further fixing element. The grooves are arranged in particular on the receptacle. By means of such projections guided in grooves, a guide arrangement with the desired functionality can be realized in a simple manner.The protrusions include pivot axis protrusions. When the fixing element and / or the further fixing element are released from or connected to the receptacle, the pivot axis projections are guided in particular in grooves, preferably in a rectilinear movement. During the pivoting movement between the fixing position and the release position, the pivot axis projections define the pivot axis.Alternatively and / or additionally, the projections can comprise locking projections. During the pivoting movement of the fixing element and / or of the further fixing element into the fixing position, the blocking projections pivot behind an undercut in order to prevent the fixing element and / or of the further fixing element from being released from the receptacle. The locking projections can in particular swivel into a depression branching from a groove in which the swivel axis projections are guided during the detachment and connection of the fixing element and / or the further fixing element, in order to prevent the fixing element and / or further fixing element from being detached from the receptacle.The plug connection system is designed such that the fixing element can be connected to the receptacle and / or can be detached from the receptacle from the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the plug connector assigned to the respective fixing element can be plugged together with the receptacle. The plug connection system can be designed such that the further fixing element can be connected to the receptacle and / or can be detached from the receptacle in a direction different from the direction in which the plug connector assigned to the respective fixing element can be plugged together with the receptacle. The mutually different directions can in particular extend, at least substantially, perpendicular to one another. Such an orientation of the release movement of the fixing element relative to the direction of mating has an advantageous effect on the design of the plug connection system. In particular when the relative orientation of the directions is based on the orientation of the guide arrangement and / or the further guide arrangement, further in particular on the orientation of the respective grooves, the guide arrangement can be realized with the desired functionality in a simple manner.The fixing element and / or the further fixing element can be designed in the form of a bow. In the region of its two ends, the guide element can have components of the guide arrangement, in particular pivot axis projections. In the case of a bow-shaped configuration of the fixing element, the pivot axis projections can be arranged on a pivot axis which connects the two ends of the bow.The receptacle is a component of a housing part. This makes it possible to connect the plug connectors directly to the housing of an electrical device. This enables cost-effective production, since few components are required for the provision of the receptacle. The receptacle can be formed in particular into the housing part. The housing part can also be provided in this way simply with a comparatively complicated receptacle, for example by means of an injection molding process.The plug connection system is in particular designed in such a way that either the second plug connector or the first plug connector and / or the further plug connector can be selectively connected to the receptacle. In this way, plug connectors with different functionalities can alternatively be connected to the receptacle.Thus, the second plug connector can be designed such that it electrically contacts contact elements of the receptacle which are designed both for the electrical connection to the first plug connector and for the electrical connection to the further plug connector. Such a configuration of the second plug connector results in the second plug connector replacing both the first and the further plug connector with regard to its respective function.The second plug connector can take up a larger installation space than the first and / or further plug connector, which makes it difficult to design it such that it could be fixed by fixing elements of the described type. With the described plug connection system, the connectivity of such complicated plug connectors to the receptacle can be combined with the possibility of alternatively connecting simpler first and / or further plug connectors to the receptacle and fixing these to the receptacle in a simple manner using the described fixing elements and / or further fixing elements.Further practical embodiments and advantages of the invention are described below in conjunction with the drawings. The following are shown: FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a receptacle of an exemplary plug connection system, FIG. 2 shows a fixing element of an exemplary plug connection system, FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of the mode of operation of the exemplary plug connection system, FIG. 4 shows a first plug connector, a fixing element and the receptacle of an exemplary plug connection system, FIG. 5 shows the components of the plug connection system from FIG. 4 in the plugged-together state, FIG. 6 shows the plug connector from FIG. 4 in its state in which it is fixed to the receptacle by the fixing element, FIG. 7 shows the second plug connector of the exemplary plug-in connection system fastened to the receptacle.FIG. 1 shows a receptacle 10 of an exemplary plug-in connection system. As illustrated by way of example, this can be formed into a housing part 12, for example a housing cover. As in the example shown, the receptacle 10 can have two different slots 14, 16. The slot 14 is configured to be plugged together with a first plug connector 18. The further plug-in location 16 is designed to be plugged together with a further plug-in connector-not shown. The first plug connector 18 and the further plug connector can be fixed by fixing elements 20 in the state in which they are plugged together with the receptacle 10. The fixing elements 20 can be designed identically as in the example shown. An exemplary fixing element 20 is shown in FIG. 2.The fixing elements 20 can have pivot axis projections 22 and locking projections 24, as in the fixing element 20 shown by way of example. As is shown in particular in FIG. 3, these can form a guide arrangement together with grooves 26 which are arranged in particular on the receptacle 10. FIG. 3 shows the principle only schematically, without taking into account the perspective.The function of such a guide arrangement is schematically illustrated in FIG. 3. The fixing element 20 shown in FIG. 3 is preferably in its securing position, as shown. The pivot axis projections 22 are located in end regions of grooves 26, and in this position define the pivot axis about which the fixing element 20 can be pivoted back and forth between the fixing position shown and a release position, not shown. By means of a pivoting movement along the pivoting direction 28, the fixing element 20 can be pivoted into its release position.In the fixing position shown, the locking projections 24 of the fixing element 20 are in particular in a position pivoted behind an undercut 30, as shown. The undercut 30 can be formed by a material recess 32 which branches off from the groove 26. If, in the embodiment shown by way of example, the fixing element 20 is pivoted about the pivot axis projections 22 in the pivot direction 28, the blocking projections 24 pivot into the grooves 26. In the grooves 26, the locking projections 24 can move past the undercut 30 along the direction 34. The pivot axis protrusions 22 may also move in the direction 34 in the groove 26. This makes it possible for the fixing element 20, which is pivoted into its release position-not shown-to be released from the receptacle 10 by a movement directed along the direction 34.The first plug connector 18 and / or the further plug connector are fixed to the receptacle 10 by the fixing element 20 by means of regions 36 which are of hook-like design. This can be done, for example, by the hook-like regions 36 engaging behind projections 38 on the respective plug connector. By a pivoting movement along the direction 28, the projections are released from the hook-like regions 36.FIGS. 4 and 5 once again show, by way of example, the connection of the first plug connector 18 to the receptacle 10 and the fixing of the first plug connector 18 to the receptacle 10 by the fixing element 20. The bow-shaped fixing element 20, at the ends of which the pivot axis projections 22 and in the region of the ends of which the blocking projections 24 are arranged by way of example, can have an actuation region 40, as in the example shown. A fixing element configured in this way can be easily operated. As in the example shown, the guide arrangement can also include grooves 42 in which only pivot axis projections 22, but not blocking projections 24, can be guided.If the fixing elements 20 are released from the receptacle 10, a second plug connector 44 can be received on the receptacle 10, as shown in the example shown in FIG. 7. As in the example shown, this can take up a large installation space.The features of the invention disclosed in the present description, in the drawings and in the claims can be essential, both individually and in any combinations, for the realisation of the invention in its various embodiments. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments. It can be varied within the scope of the claims and taking into account the knowledge of the responsible person skilled in the art.List of reference characters10 Receptacle 12 Housing part 14 Plug-in location 16 Further plug-in location 18 First plug-in connector 20 Fixing element 22 Pivot axis projections 24 Locking projections 26 Grooves 28 Pivot direction 30 Undercut 32 Recess 34 Direction 36 Hook-like regions 38 Projections 40 Actuating element 42 Grooves 44 Second plug-in connector

Claims

Electrical plug connection system, wherein, in order to produce the plug connection, a plug connector can be plugged together with a receptacle (10) for a first plug connector (18) or a second plug connector (44), wherein the receptacle (10) can be plugged together either with a first plug connector (18), which can be fixed with a fixing element (20) in its state plugged together with the receptacle (10), or with a second plug connector (44), wherein the fixing element (20) is connected to the receptacle (10) by means of a guide arrangement in such a way that it can be moved back and forth in a pivoting movement between a fixing position, in which the fixing element (20) fixes the first plug connector (18) in its state plugged together with the receptacle (10), and a release position, in which the fixing element (20) can be released from the receptacle (10) in order to enable the receptacle (10) to be plugged together with the second plug connector (44), wherein the guide arrangement has grooves (26) in which pivot axis projections (22) are guided, wherein, on account of the orientation of the guide arrangement, the fixing element (20) can be connected to the receptacle (10) in a direction (34) perpendicular to the direction in which the plug connector (18) assigned to the respective fixing element (20) can be plugged together with the receptacle (10) and can be released from the receptacle (10), wherein the receptacle (10) is part of a housing part (12).Plug connection system according to Claim 1, characterized in that, in addition to the first plug connector (18), the receptacle (10) can be plugged together with a further plug connector which can be fixed by a further fixing element (20) in its state plugged together with the receptacle (10), wherein the further fixing element (20) is connected to the receptacle (10) by means of a further guide arrangement in such a way that it can be moved back and forth in a pivoting movement between a fixing position, in which the further fixing element (20) fixes the further plug connector (44) in its state plugged together with the receptacle (10), and a release position, in which the further fixing element (20) can be released from the receptacle (10) in order to enable the receptacle (10) to be plugged together with the second plug connector (44).Plug connection system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fixing element (20) and / or the further fixing element (20) are designed as injection-moulded parts, in particular identically.Plug connection system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that pivot axis projections (22) are arranged on the fixing element (20) and / or the further fixing element (20), and the grooves (26) are arranged on the receptacle (10).Plug connection system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pivot axis projections are guided in the grooves (26) when the fixing element (20) and / or the further fixing element (20) is released and connected to the receptacle (10), and define the pivot axis during the pivot movement of the fixing element (20) and / or the further fixing element (20) between the fixing position and the release position.Plug connection system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guide arrangement and / or the further guide arrangement comprise locking projections (24), which swivel behind an undercut (30) during the swivel movement of the fixing element (20) and / or further fixing element (20) into the fixing position in order to prevent the fixing element (20) and / or further fixing element (20) from being released from the receptacle (10).Plug connection system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, owing to the orientation of the guide arrangement and / or of the further guide arrangement, in particular of the respective grooves (26), the further fixing element (20) can be connected to the receptacle (10) and can be detached from the receptacle (10) in a direction (34) which is different from the direction (34) in which the plug connector (18) assigned to the respective fixing element (20) can be plugged together with the receptacle (10).Plug connection system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fixing element (20) and / or the further fixing element (20) is of bow-shaped design and has components of the guide arrangement in the region of its two ends.Plug connection system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the receptacle (10) is formed into the housing part (12).Plug connection system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that either the second plug connector (44) or the first plug connector (18) and / or the further plug connector can be selectively connected to the receptacle (10).Plug connection system according to one of Claims 2 to 10, characterized in that the second plug connector (44) makes electrical contact with contact elements (14) of the receptacle (10) which are designed both for electrical connection to the first plug connector (18) and for electrical connection to the further plug connector.

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