Electrical cutting contact element

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical cutting contact element (10) with a one-piece metallic base body, which has at one end a connection area (20) and at the other end a cutting contact area (40) with several cutting contacts (50, 60, 70) each having a clamping slot (54, 64, 74) for receiving and contacting an electrical conductor (110). According to the invention, at least two of the cutting contacts (50, 60) have differently shaped clamping slots (54, 64) for receiving differently shaped electrical conductors. Advantage: Can accommodate different conductor types, e.g., with different cross-sections, solid conductors or stranded conductors.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an electrical cutting contact element with a one-piece metallic base body, which has at one end a connection area and at the other end a cutting contact area with several cutting contacts, each having a clamping slot, for receiving and contacting an electrical conductor.

[0002] Connectors with insulation displacement contacts (IDCs) are known in various configurations from the prior art and are used in a wide variety of applications to create plug connections, for example, for telephone and network connections. Many connectors are now standardized. Examples of standardized connectors include RJ connectors. In particular, RJ-45 modular connectors are widely used for data cables in network connections.

[0003] A connector for a shielded data cable is known from DE 10 2006 010 279 A1. The connector has an electrically conductive housing. A printed circuit board is arranged within the housing, on which contact pins in the form of insulating contact elements, so-called IDC contacts, are mounted for connecting data lines of the data cable and plug contacts. On the printed circuit board, each insulating contact element is electrically connected to a plug contact on the front side of the connector. Electronic interference suppression devices are regularly connected between the plug contacts and the insulating contact elements to eliminate unwanted crosstalk and other interference, at least to a large extent. Furthermore, this known connector has a loading element with receiving channels for data lines of a data cable, each receiving channel being penetrated by a receiving opening.The charging unit is placed on a carrier in such a way that the cutting contact elements lie in the receiving openings of the charging unit in order to electrically contact the data lines received in the receiving channels.

[0004] An electrical cutting contact element with multiple cutting contacts is known, for example, from DE 101 11 571 A1. The cutting contact element consists of a one-piece, metallic base body that has a cutting contact area for inserting a conductor wire or conductor and a connection area on the opposite side. The cutting contact area is designed as a so-called double cutting terminal with two parallel, U-shaped cutting terminals. The insertion or clamping slots formed between the legs of the U define an insertion plane for a conductor wire, which can be pressed into the double cutting terminals in a manner known per se. Both opposing cutting contacts are held by a one-piece, integrally formed connecting piece. Two contact arms project downwards from this connecting piece as the connection area.The two contact arms are designed for connection to a printed circuit board.

[0005] Double insulation displacement connectors (IDCs) with two parallel IDC contacts are characterized by high stability and good contactability of the conductor wire inserted into the connector. However, a problem with these double IDCs, and also with conventional single IDCs with only one contact, is that each contact is designed for a specific type of conductor. This means that only conductors for which the respective contact slot is designed and configured can be inserted into and clamped in the terminal slots of such an IDC. The IDCs are therefore designed for only one specific type of conductor.If, on the other hand, a connector is to be suitable for connecting solid or stranded conductors, and also for conductors of different thicknesses, various insulation displacement connectors or insulation displacement contacts must be installed and kept in the connector.

[0006] This is where the present invention comes in.

[0007] The invention aims to provide an electrical cutting contact element with which differently shaped conductors or conductor wires can be contacted. Different conductor wires refer to conductors of different thicknesses, or solid conductors and stranded conductors. A further aim is to provide an electrical connector with one or more such cutting contacts.

[0008] This objective is achieved by an electrical cutting contact element with the features of claim 1.

[0009] Further developments of such a cutting contact element are specified in subclaims 2 to 10, which refer back to claim 1.

[0010] An electrical connector with such a cutting contact element is the subject of claims 10 to 14.

[0011] The electrical cutting contact element according to the present invention consists of a one-piece, metallic base body which has a connection area at one end and a cutting contact area at the other. The cutting contact area has several cutting contacts, each with a clamping slot, for receiving and contacting an electrical conductor. At least two of the cutting contacts have differently shaped clamping slots for receiving differently shaped electrical conductors, such as conductor wires with different diameters, which can be solid conductors or stranded conductors.

[0012] According to the invention, the cutting contact area with its multiple cutting contacts is designed in such a way that conductor wires or conductor strands of different designs can be clamped and contacted between the cutting contact legs of a cutting contact.

[0013] In a further development of the invention, the clamping slots of at least two cutting contact pairs are provided with different cutting edge contours, i.e., differently shaped cutting contact legs. The different cutting edge contours can, for example, consist of the opposing cutting edges of one cutting contact having a different length compared to other cutting contacts and / or being spaced at different distances from each other, i.e., the clamping slots having different widths.

[0014] Furthermore, the clamping slot may have clamping lugs or hooks on the opposing cutting edges of the cutting contacts. These clamping hooks or lugs can be positioned directly opposite each other on the cutting contact legs or offset from one another, depending on which conductor wire is to be clamped to the respective cutting contact.

[0015] In a further development of the invention, the electrical cutting contact element can have two or more cutting contacts formed from a sheet metal part by suitable bending. It is advantageous, for example, to provide three cutting contacts positioned at right angles to each other. The three cutting contacts are preferably integrally connected to one another via a base.

[0016] In a further development of the invention, these three cutting contacts can be arranged at right angles to the base in one direction, for example upwards, with a sheet metal part, serving as a connection area and designed, for example, as a solder pin, extending from the base in the opposite direction. Preferably, the downward-bent metal part forming the connection area projects downwards on the side of the base where, viewed from above, no cutting contact is arranged. In other words, the electrical plug-in contact element consists of three sheet metal parts bent upwards from a metallic base body, which form the cutting contacts, and a downward-bent metal part that forms the connection area. The upward-bent and downward-bent sheet metal parts are integrally connected to each other via a common base.

[0017] In another embodiment of the invention, four cutting contacts are provided, extending upwards at right angles to each other from a common base of a metallic body, while a metal part, serving as a connection area, is folded out from the base in the opposite direction. According to the invention, at least two of the cutting contacts are provided with different clamping slots for receiving differently shaped conductors. It is understood that all four cutting contacts can also have different clamping slots. However, it is also within the scope of the invention that two parallel cutting contacts have an identical cutting edge contour, i.e., an identical clamping slot, in order to form a so-called double cutting terminal with two parallel, U-shaped, identical cutting terminals.

[0018] In another embodiment of the invention, the connection area of ​​the electrical cutting contact element can be designed as a solder pin. However, the connection area can also be designed as a contact spring element.

[0019] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the metallic base body from which the electrical cutting contact element is formed is designed as a sheet metal bending part. The cutting contact element can be coated to provide the best possible electrical contact.

[0020] Although the electrical cutting contact elements described so far can be inserted into a connector in any way, it is advantageous to provide an electrically non-conductive charging piece within the electrical connector to accommodate one or more conductors. The charging piece, containing the conductors, is placed onto the electrical cutting contact element in such a way that when a conductor located in the charging piece is inserted, it is electrically contacted by the electrical cutting contact element.

[0021] The charging element of such an electrical connector has, for example, a central opening for the conductor, with at least three chambers offset from each other by 90°, in which one end of the conductor can be secured. The chambers are advantageously provided with contact surfaces for receiving a preferably angled conductor end, as well as with pockets arranged on both sides of these contact surfaces for inserting the cutting contact element.

[0022] Although each of the cutting contact elements according to the invention is assigned its own charging piece, it is advantageous to join several charging piece parts, each designed for insertion into a cutting contact element, together in one piece. For example, several charging piece parts made of plastic can be molded together in one piece to accommodate several of the cutting contact elements according to the invention.

[0023] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to several figures. These show: Fig. 1 A first embodiment of an electrical cutting contact element with three cutting contacts in perspective view, Fig. 2 the cutting contact element of Fig. 1 in perspective view, but rotated by 90° to show Fig. 1, Fig. 3 the cutting contact element of Fig. 1 in side view looking at the first cutting contact, Fig. 4 the cutting contact element of Fig. 1 Top view of the second cutting contact, Fig. 5 the cutting contact element of Fig. 1 in side view with top view of the third cutting contact, Fig. 6 a loading piece with two loading piece parts for receiving two cutting contact elements according to Fig. 1, Fig. 7 a simplified representation of the loading piece of Fig. 6 in perspective view with inserted conductor wires and associated cutting contact elements for contacting these two conductor wires, Fig. 8 a schematic representation of a carrier body with an electrical conduction layer and two inserted cutting contact elements, Fig. 9 a second embodiment of a cutting contact element with four cutting contacts in a perspective view from an oblique front view, and Fig. 10 the cutting contact element of Fig. 9 in perspective view looking at the bottom of this cutting contact element.

[0024] In the following figures, identical reference symbols denote identical parts with the same meaning, unless otherwise indicated.

[0025] In Fig. Figure 1 shows an electrical cutting contact element 10 in perspective view. The cutting contact element 10 has a metallic, one-piece base body, which is designed, for example, as a sheet metal bent part. The cutting contact element 10 has a connection area 20 and a cutting contact area 40. The cutting contact area 40 has three cutting contacts 50, 60, and 70 positioned at right angles to each other. Each of these cutting contacts 50, 60, and 70 has a first cutting contact terminal 51, 61, and a second cutting contact terminal 52, 62, and 72 positioned opposite it. The term cutting contact terminal refers to one of two cutting contact legs. Two opposing cutting contact terminals or cutting contact legs form a cutting contact.

[0026] Between these insulation displacement connectors 51, 52 and 61, 62 as well as 71, 72 there is a clamping slot 54, 64 and 74 in each case. These clamping slots 54, 64, 74 are designed in a special way, which will be discussed in more detail below.

[0027] The three cutting contacts 50, 60, 70 are integrally connected at their lower ends via a common base 100. This base 100 is essentially rectangular, with the cutting contacts 50, 60, and 70 extending integrally upwards along three edges of this rectangle. A downwardly curved metal part extends integrally along the free edge of the base 100. This metal part forms the connection area 20 and is, in the exemplary embodiment, Fig. 1 designed as solder pin 21. As from Fig. As can be seen in Figure 1, the three cutting contacts 50, 60 and 70 extend upwards at a right angle from the base 100, while the solder pin 21 is bent downwards at a right angle.

[0028] Each of the cutting contacts 50, 60, 70 has an insertion area 56, 66, and 76, respectively, at its upper free end. These areas are chamfered to allow a conductor to be securely inserted into the respective clamping slot 54, 64, 74. The clamping slot 54 of the first cutting contact 50 is relatively wide and extends over almost the entire length of the cutting contact 50. The insertion area 56 is also relatively wide, allowing a thick conductor wire to be inserted into the cutting contact 50. The cutting contact 60 has a somewhat shorter clamping slot 64 and features two opposing lugs 67 approximately in the middle of the clamping slot 64, the tips of which can touch. Such a clamping slot 64 is suitable, for example, for securely clamping a conductor strand.The clamping slot 74 has a very short insertion area 76 and is very wide, for example wider than the clamping slots 54 and 64 of the cutting contacts 50 and 60. A very wide conductor wire can be inserted into this cutting contact 70.

[0029] Fig. Figure 2 shows the cutting contact element 10 of Fig. Figure 1 is also shown in perspective, but rotated 90° around its own axis. The specially designed clamping slot 74 of the cutting contact 70 is clearly visible here. From the insertion area 76, the clamping slot 74 initially extends with a relatively large width to about half the height of the cutting contact 70, before narrowing considerably from there. The clamping slot 74 thus has two different widths between the cutting terminals 71 and 72 of the cutting contact 70. The design of the respective clamping slots 54, 64, and 74 is shown in the illustrations of Fig. 3, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 is particularly clear. That's where the cutting contact element of Fig. 1 in three different side views in each top view of the cutting contact 50 (see Fig. 3), onto the cutting contact 60 (see Fig. 4) as well as the cutting contact 70 (see Fig. 5) shown. The different clamping slots 54, 64 and 74 are clearly visible.

[0030] In Fig. Figure 6 shows a loading piece 200 with two loading piece parts 201, 202 formed in one piece together, as it is used to receive two cutting contact elements 10 according to Fig. 1 is suitable. The loading element 201 is identical in design to the loading element 202; however, both loading elements 201 and 202 are connected to each other rotated by 10° relative to each other. For the sake of simplicity, only loading element 201 will be described in detail below. The second loading element 202 is constructed in an identical manner, so a detailed description of this second loading element 202 is omitted.

[0031] The charging component 201 is made of electrically non-conductive material, such as plastic. The charging component 201 has a central opening 210 through which a conductor core or conductor wire can be inserted. The charging component 201 has three chambers 220, 221, and 222, each with a support surface 225, 226, and 227, respectively, designed for inserting and placing a conductor core. As shown from Fig. As can be seen in Figure 6, chambers 220, 221, 222, and their corresponding support surfaces 225, 226, and 227 are designed differently to accommodate differently shaped conductors. Chamber 220 is positioned at an oblique angle within the loading section 201. It extends from the upper outer edge of the loading section 201 to the opening 210. Chamber 221 runs at a right angle from the right edge of the loading section 201 towards the opening 210 and is significantly narrower than the opposite chamber 222. The respective access openings to chambers 220, 221, and 222 are located at the upper, right, and left edges of the loading section 201, respectively. Chambers 220, 221, and 222 are arranged and designed to allow the insertion of different conductors.Chambers 220, 221, and 222 are each surrounded on the left and right by pockets 230, 231, 232, and 233, into which the cutting contacts 50, 60, and 70 of the cutting contact element 10 can be inserted. This is described in connection with the following... Fig. 7 clearly.

[0032] Fig. Figure 7 shows the charging piece 200 with its two charging piece parts 201 and 202 in a perspective view, with a conductor 110 already inserted into the two openings of the charging piece parts 201 and 202. The end of the inserted conductor 110 is, as shown in Fig. Figure 7 shows the component angled at 90° so that it can be inserted, for example, into one of the previously mentioned chambers 220, 221, and 222. In the illustrated embodiment of Fig. 7 the upper conductor 110 is angled 90° towards the viewer in order to enter chamber 222 (compare this to Fig. 6) to be inserted. The same applies to the underlying conductor 110, which is inserted into the corresponding chamber of the charging piece part 202. How Fig. As further indicated in Figure 7, the conductor 110 is provided with an electrically conductive solid conductor 111, which is sheathed by an insulating layer 112. The same applies to the conductor in Fig. 7 Second conductor 110 shown below.

[0033] Also in Fig. 7 Two cutting contact elements 10 can be seen, as they are made of Fig. 1 are known. The two cutting contact elements 10 are rotated 180° relative to each other in order to engage in the respective pockets 230, 231 and 232 of the charging piece 200. When the charging piece 200 is placed onto the two cutting contact elements 10, this causes the corresponding cutting contact pairs, in this case the cutting contact pairs 50, to cut the insulation 111 of the conductors 110 and come into electrical contact with the solid conductor 111 there, thus establishing an electrical connection.

[0034] Although in connection with Fig. 7 where the two cutting contact elements 10 are shown loosely, in practice these cutting contact elements 10 are held by a carrier body 300, as shown in Fig. Figure 8 shows that this carrier body 300 has an electrically conductive layer 400 or electrical conductors on its underside, which are electrically connected, for example by soldering, to the connection area of ​​the insulating contact elements 10. The carrier body 300 can, for example, be a circuit board of a connector, to the underside of which electrical conductors and / or electrical components are connected. The carrier body 300 with the inserted insulating contact elements 10 forms a structural unit onto which the charging piece under discussion, with the electrical conductors connected thereto, can be placed, thus establishing an electrical connection between the insulating contact elements 10 and the conductors 100 present or placed in the charging piece.

[0035] Fig. Figure 9 shows a second embodiment of a cutting contact element 10 according to the invention. In this cutting contact element 10, four cutting contacts 50, 60, 70, and 80 are provided, each arranged at right angles to the others radiating from a base 100. The four cutting contacts 50, 60, 70, and 80 together form a cutting contact area 40. Extending from the base 100 in the opposite direction to the cutting contact pairs 50, 60, 70, and 80 is a connection area 20 in the form of a solder pin 21.

[0036] How the representation of Fig. As shown in Figure 10, this solder pin 21 is significantly shorter and has a length that corresponds approximately to the side length of the base 100. As already shown in the example of Fig. As explained in section 1, at least two of the terminal slots 54, 64, 74 and 84 are adapted to accommodate differently designed conductors.

[0037] It is within the scope of the present invention that two opposing cutting contacts have an identically shaped clamping slot. The two identically shaped cutting contacts, which are opposite each other, thus form a so-called double cutting terminal. In the exemplary embodiment of the Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 For example, a double insulation displacement connector can be formed by having two opposing insulation contacts, in this case for example 50 and 70 as well as 60 and 80, have the same clamping slot, so that the conductor end of a conductor wire simultaneously contacts the insulation contacts 50, 70 or 60, 80. Reference symbol list 10 cutting contact elements 20 Connection area 21 solder pin 40 cutting contact area 50 cutting contact 51 first insulation displacement connector or insulation displacement contact leg 52 second insulation displacement connector or insulation displacement contact leg 54 clamping slots 56 Insertion area 60 cutting contact 61 first insulation displacement connector or insulation displacement contact leg 62 second cutting clamp or cutting contact leg 64 clamping slots 66 Insertion area 67 Nose 70 cutting contact 71 first insulation displacement connector or insulation displacement contact leg 72 second cutting clamp or cutting contact leg 74 clamping slots 76 Insertion area 80 cutting contact 81 first insulation displacement connector or insulation displacement contact leg 82 second insulation displacement terminal or insulation displacement contact leg 84 clamping slots 100 soil 110 electrical conductor 111 Solid conductors 112 Insulation 200 charging pieces 201 Load piece part 202 Loading piece part 210 central opening 220 Chamber 221 Chamber 222nd Chamber 225 mm contact area 226 contact area 227 contact area 230 bag 231 bag 232 bags 233 bags 300 carrier bodies 400 conductor layer QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2006 010 279 A1

[0003] DE 101 11 571 A1

[0004]

Claims

[1] Electrical cutting contact element (10) with a one-piece metallic base body, which has at one end a connection area (20) and at the other end a cutting contact area (40) with several cutting contacts (50, 60, 70, 80) each having a clamping slot (54, 64, 74, 84) for receiving and contacting an electrical conductor (110), characterized by , that at least two of the cutting contacts (50, 60) have differently shaped clamping slots (54, 64) for receiving differently shaped electrical conductors. [2] Electrical cutting contact element (10) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the clamping slots (54, 64) of the at least two cutting contacts (50, 60) have different cutting edge contours. [3] Electrical cutting contact element (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the clamping slots (54, 64) of the at least two cutting contact pairs (50, 60) have different widths. [4] Electrical cutting contact element (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that three cutting contacts (50, 60, 70) are provided at right angles to each other. [5] Electrical cutting contact element (10) according to claim 4, characterized by , that the metallic base body has three cutting contacts (50, 60, 70) arranged in one direction and each offset by 90° from the others, and a connection area (20) which is angled in opposite directions between the two opposing cutting contacts (50, 70). [6] Electrical cutting contact element (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that four cutting contacts (50, 60, 70, 80) are provided which are at right angles to each other, with two cutting contacts (50, 70; 60, 80) being parallel to each other. [7] Electrical cutting contact element (10) according to claim 6, characterized by, that the four cutting contacts (50, 60, 70, 80) have a common base (100) and are integrally connected to each other via this base and are each angled perpendicular to it in the same direction, with a base body part being bent out of the base in the opposite direction to form the connection area (20). [8] Electrical cutting contact element (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by , that the connection area (20) is designed as a solder pin (21). [9] Electrical cutting contact element (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by , that the metallic base body is designed as a sheet metal bent part. [10] Electrical cutting contact element (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by that it is designed and intended to accommodate a solid conductor and / or a stranded conductor. [11] Electrical connector with an electrical cutting contact element (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized by , that an electrically non-conductive charging piece (200) is provided for receiving one or more conductors (110) and for placing on the electrical cutting contact element (10), such that when a conductor (110) located in the charging piece (200) is placed on the charging piece, it is electrically contacted by the electrical cutting contact element (10). [12] Electrical connector according to claim 11, characterized by , that the loading piece (200) has a central opening (210) for passing the conductor (110) and at least three chambers (220, 221, 222) offset from each other by 90°, in which a conductor end of the conductor (110) can be fixed. [13] Electrical connector according to claim 12, characterized by, that the chambers (220, 221, 222) each have support surfaces (225, 226, 227) for receiving a preferably angled conductor end of the conductor (110) and pockets (230, 231, 232, 233) arranged on both sides of these support surfaces for inserting the cutting contact element (10). [14] Electrical connector according to any one of claims 11 to 13, characterized by , that the charging piece (200) has several charging piece parts (201, 202) into which a conductor (110) and a cutting contact element (10) can each be inserted.

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