Flush-mounted plug connector

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a built-in connector, comprising a housing with an insertion opening for a complementary cable connector, with a contact carrier inserted into or formed in the housing, with electrical or optical contacts fixed in the contact carrier, and with a front plate arranged on the front side of the housing, as well as a built-in connector arrangement comprising such a built-in connector and a circuit board connected thereto.

[0002] Such panel-mounted connectors, also known as panel sockets or chassis sockets, are designed for installation in control panels, control cabinets, or the walls of device housings and are designed for connection to standard printed circuit boards or circuit boards used in the entertainment industry. They are available in a wide variety of designs, i.e., with different numbers and designs of contacts, as well as with various grounding and connection options, and as male and female connectors. They are used as electrical connectors for the transmission of electrical power or analog or digital data, as well as as optical connectors for fiber optic cables.

[0003] Cable connectors are known with a light source powered by the power cable, which illuminates a light ring with three windows, each offset by 120 degrees. Furthermore, US 6690804 B2 discloses a system in which microphones and their cables are equipped with controllable LEDs, allowing individual devices to be quickly and visually distinguished using different colors. Power is supplied via the phantom power source of the audio mixing system. Furthermore, chassis jacks are known with a ring surrounding the plug-in opening, consisting of several LEDs built into the panel jack itself, or a narrow ring illuminated by built-in LEDs to indicate the connection status. Thus, here too, a power supply is integrated into the jack itself, which carries the risk of signal transmission interference.

[0004] CN 208849186 U, NL 1032887 A1, EP 2904982 A1, and DE 102010021587 A1 show various types of built-in or surface-mounted sockets containing light sources and light-conducting elements. For example, CN 208849186 U discloses a charging plug for installation in vehicles. The plug has a flange with mounting holes and a cover plate covering this flange with a ring-shaped transparent area. Embedded in the flange is a light-conducting element that is completely enclosed beneath the transparent cover plate. The light-conducting element is illuminated by two LEDs mounted on a circuit board. For this purpose, the light is coupled in via the two opposite ends. The charging status of the vehicle can be indicated by a color change.

[0005] NL 1032887 A1 discloses a surface-mounted socket for trailers for motor vehicles. The socket has two mounting holes. Elongated contacts protrude parallel to each other from a disc-shaped contact carrier, with a guide cylinder made of light-conducting material pushed onto the contacts. Furthermore, there is a hollow cylindrical socket, which surrounds the cylinder with the contacts in a ring-shaped manner, forming an annular space, also made of light-conducting material. The guide cylinder and the socket are each separately illuminated by at least one LED. The enclosing housing has a spring-loaded cover which, when closed, covers the entire plug-in opening and which has a fork-shaped recess with which an inserted plug can be fixed / locked, whereby a large part of the plug-in opening is again covered.

[0006] EP 2904982 A1 describes a socket insert for an electrosurgical device. Translucent frames are provided around the actual plug sockets or their insertion openings, which can be used, for example, as operating status indicators. Light from a light source is coupled into the translucent frame via a plug-in housing designed as a light guide. The light source is preferably formed by a backlit circuit board with light-emitting diodes in the device housing. A releasable locking device for the cable plugs is also provided.

[0007] Finally, DE 102010021587 A1 discloses a multi-pin charging socket for electric vehicles comprising a housing with a locking function and a flange-like edge. Parts of the housing can be made of a translucent, possibly colored, material, with light sources arranged within the housing.

[0008] The object of the present invention was to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and to provide a built-in connector or an arrangement with such a connector, which has a status indicator that is easy to recognize at any time and as unhindered as possible, particularly in dark environments, in which there is no risk of interference or interference with the useful signals and which can be manufactured without great effort due to a simple structure and preferably also allows retrofitting to existing built-in connectors with a similar structure.

[0009] This object is achieved by a device according to the claims.

[0010] The device according to the invention is characterized in that the front panel consists of a light-scattering or light-conducting material, has at least one coupling surface for light from an external light source, and has a circumferential and forwardly projecting ridge that runs along at least part of the circumference of the insertion opening and forms the front end and outer boundary of the insertion opening. This ensures optimal supply and distribution of the coupled light and guarantees optimal visibility of the visible section of the front panel at all times. However, the light source, its power supply, and its control are separate from the built-in connector itself and its useful contacts, so that the risk of the illumination arrangement influencing the useful signals is minimized.

[0011] The front panel is preferably made of colorless material. This allows different colors, including alternating colors, to be displayed with a single front panel by using light sources with different hues.

[0012] A preferred embodiment of a built-in connector according to the invention provides, in order to enable installation behind the walls of devices, control panels or the like, that the housing and the front plate have corresponding mounting sections which project radially towards the axis of the insertion opening and are provided with at least one mounting hole.

[0013] In such a built-in connector, the coupling surface is preferably located on at least one of the mounting sections of the front panel. This allows the coupling surface to be designed very freely and optimally for the coupling of the respective light source.

[0014] Furthermore, a preferred variant provides for the coupling surface to be radially oriented, with the cross-section of the mounting section preferably increasing toward the coupling surface. This allows for easy coupling of a light source located adjacent to the front panel and optimal light guidance with concentration of the coupled light on the cross-section of the part of the front panel to be illuminated.

[0015] A further optional embodiment of the invention provides a built-in connector in which a recess for a locking arrangement for the cable plug is formed in the housing, wherein the locking arrangement comprises an unlocking element projecting forwardly from the housing, and wherein the front plate has a cutout for the passage of the unlocking element.

[0016] A solution to the problem posed at the beginning is also possible through a built-in connector arrangement comprising a built-in connector according to one of the preceding paragraphs and a circuit board connected to it. This arrangement is further characterized in that a light source and its control and power supply are provided on the circuit board, and at least the light source is arranged directly adjacent to the coupling point. Thus, the light supply remains potential-separated from the useful contacts and cannot influence signal transmission.

[0017] Preferably, the light source is designed or controllable to emit light of at least two different colors in order to distinguish the individual sockets and / or to display the respective connection status.

[0018] An alternative embodiment of the invention then provides that the control of the light source is coupled to a circuit for detecting different states of the arrangement and the control is designed such that different states are characterized by the emission of light of different colors.

[0019] The light source preferably comprises LEDs or OLEDs as the illuminant.

[0020] For a better understanding of the invention, it is explained in more detail using the following figures.

[0021] They show in a highly simplified, schematic representation: Fig. 1 a panel connector arrangement in the form of an RJ45 chassis socket in a perspective view from the front; Fig. 2 the housing of the panel connector of the arrangement of the Fig. 1with inserted contacts in perspective view from the front; Fig. 3 the front plate of the built-in connector designed according to the invention of the arrangement of the Fig. 1 in perspective view from the front; Fig. 4 the front plate of the built-in connector designed according to the invention of the arrangement of the Fig. 1 in perspective view from behind; Fig. 5 a longitudinal section through the built-in connector arrangement of the Fig. 1 , inserted into the wall of a device or the like, and Fig. 6 a perspective view from above of a circuit board for the built-in connector arrangement of the Fig. 1 .

[0022] By way of introduction, it should be noted that in the variously described embodiments, identical parts are provided with identical reference symbols or component designations. The disclosures contained throughout the description can be applied mutatis mutandis to identical parts with identical reference symbols or component designations. Furthermore, the positional information chosen in the description, such as top, bottom, side, etc., refers to the directly described and illustrated figure, and these positional information must be applied mutatis mutandis to the new position in the event of a change in position.

[0023] The invention is described below with reference to a Fig. 1The electrical panel connector shown in its entirety is explained, which is designed as an RJ45 socket for data transmission. However, all types of power and data connectors can be designed according to the inventive features, for example, according to the XLR standard, in male or female versions, etc. Optical panel connectors can also be constructed essentially the same according to the invention.

[0024] A contact carrier 3 is inserted into a housing 1 with an insertion opening 2 for a complementary cable connector. The contacts 4 fixed in the contact carrier 3 protrude on the rear side of the housing 1. The housing 1 is - as in Fig. 2can be seen better - constructed from two concentrically arranged housing parts, an outer housing part 5 and an inner housing part 6, which are spaced apart by an annular gap 7, this annular gap 7 forming an annular insertion opening for a socket-shaped plug extension of a complementary cable connector. An annular base 8 connects the two housing parts 5, 6 to one another at the end of the housing 1 opposite the insertion opening 2. The contact carrier 3 can preferably be an integral part or section of the housing 1, but it can also be designed as a separate part and inserted into a corresponding receptacle in the housing 1. In the present embodiment, this receptacle is the inner housing part 6 into which the contact carrier 3 is inserted.In this type of construction, the housing 1 is typically made of metal and the contact carrier 3 of an insulating material, preferably plastic. In plastic housings, the contact carrier 3 is preferably provided integrally with the housing 1 as its central section.

[0025] A front plate 9 is arranged on the front side of the housing 1 and surrounds the front section of the contact carrier 3. The front plate 9, which preferably rests on the front side of the housing 1 and / or covers at least a substantial part of it, has a circumferential and forwardly rising web 10 which runs along at least a part, preferably the largest part, of the circumference of the insertion opening 2 and thereby forms the front end and the outer boundary of the insertion opening 2.

[0026] The Fig. 1The illustrated flush-type connector arrangement further comprises a locking mechanism for the plugged-in complementary connector to prevent its accidental removal and thus a loosening of the plug connection. This mechanism has an unlocking element 11 for the intended unlocking of the connection, which protrudes forward through recesses 19 in the housing 1 or recesses in the front panel 9, in particular through cutouts 12 in the web 10 on the outside of the insertion opening 2. However, the unlocking element 11 does not cover the annular gap 7 of the insertion opening and the area of ​​the insertion opening and the contact carrier 3 enclosed thereby, so that the front panel 9 or at least the web 10 thereof is visible at all times.

[0027] In Fig. 1Finally, the printed circuit board or circuit board 13 is shown, here arranged horizontally, whereby the housing 1 and the contact 4 are then provided with angled end pieces.

[0028] The Figs. 3 and 4The individually illustrated front panel is made of a light-diffusing or light-conducting material. It has at least one coupling surface 14 for light from an external light source 22. In the case of horizontal circuit board mounting, two coupling surfaces 14 are preferably provided on both sides of the housing 1 directly adjacent to the circuit board 13. In the present case, these coupling surfaces 14 are tangentially oriented, i.e., their surface normal runs tangentially to the insertion opening 2. A radial arrangement of the coupling surfaces 14 is also very expedient for coupling light into the front panel 9, which is preferably made of colorless material for use with light sources 22 of any color. Other variants of the orientation of the coupling surfaces 14 are also possible.For example, the coupling surfaces 14 can be oriented to the rear and preferably lie in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the built-in connector in order to be supplied with light from a light source 22 on the circuit board 13 mounted vertically on the rear side of the housing 1.

[0029] Since the built-in connector arrangements according to the invention are intended for installation in devices or switch cabinets, control panels or the like, at least the housing 1 has mounting sections 15 along the circumference, in which mounting holes 16 are machined in order to fasten the arrangement to the wall 21 of the device or the control panel or the like (as is shown by way of example in the longitudinal section of the Fig. 5 can be seen).

[0030] In Fig. 5A preferred embodiment of the built-in connector is shown, which is designed for installation behind the wall of control panels, control cabinets or even on the rear of the walls of device housings. In this case, the front plate 9 rests against the rear of the respective wall, wherein the web 10 preferably has a height such that it ends at least at the level of the outer side of the wall of the control panel, control cabinet or device housing or preferably even projects slightly beyond the outer side of the wall. If a front cover plate or flange is present, the web 10 preferably has a height such that it ends at least at the level of the outer side of the cover plate or flange or preferably even projects slightly beyond its front surface. The cover plate or flange then preferably has recesses aligned with the recesses 19, through which the unlocking element 11 is passed.

[0031] The flush-type connector according to the invention could also be designed for front-mounting, preferably also with a front cover plate or flange. The same features as explained in the previous paragraph are provided for the design of the front plate 9, the web 10, and the other components.

[0032] Preferably, mounting sections 17 with mounting holes 18 are also provided on the front panel 9 at corresponding locations. Here, the arrangement of the coupling surfaces 14 on at least one of the mounting sections 17 of the front panel 9 is particularly preferred. As shown in particular in Fig. 5 As can be clearly seen, a section 20 is preferably provided between the front plate 9, ie the areas to be illuminated, and the coupling surfaces 14, which increases in cross-section towards the coupling surface 14. The section 20 can be wedge-shaped, pyramid-shaped, conical or similarly designed.

[0033] Furthermore, pins 26 are preferably arranged on the rear side of the front panel 9 facing the housing 1 and extend perpendicularly and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing 1. When the front panel 9 is pushed onto the housing 1, they engage in bores 27 on the outside of the housing 1, preferably the outer housing part 5, and ensure the correct positioning of the housing 1 and the front panel 9 relative to one another. Furthermore, these two components are then coupled for handling and especially for installation in a device, a control panel, a control cabinet, or the like, and can be handled as a single part, which significantly simplifies installation.

[0034] The light source 22 for the light coupled into the front panel 9 via the coupling surfaces 14 is preferably mounted on the printed circuit board or circuit board 13. The actual light source, preferably LEDs or OLEDs, is preferably arranged directly adjacent to the coupling surface 14. The control 23 and power supply of the light source, both via cables or conductor tracks 24 on the circuit board 13, thus remain potentially separated from the contacts 4. For panel connectors without a circuit board 13, other types of arrangement of light sources 22 are also possible, for example, the "flying" arrangement of wired light sources 22, preferably LEDs or OLEDs.

[0035] Preferably, the light source 22 is configured or controllable to emit light of at least two different colors, for which purpose, for example, multiple light sources of different colors can be used. The control 23 of the light source 22 can, if necessary, be coupled to a circuit 27 for detecting different states of the built-in connector assembly and be designed such that different states are indicated by the emission of light of different colors. The mounting locations 25 on the circuit board 13 for the contacts 4 are also shown.

[0036] The front panel 9 can be designed in the same way as the conventionally used front panels in terms of its dimensions and design - with the exception of the coupling surfaces 14 and sections 20 with varying cross-sections which are not essential for compatibility - so that the subsequent conversion of existing built-in connectors is also possible, together with the attachment of the light sources 22 and their control 23 on the already existing circuit boards 13.

[0037] This allows existing, retrofitted flush-type connector assemblies to benefit from the common advantage of visual identification and a visual display of the connection status, common to all the inventive assemblies. It is also possible to visualize different diagnostic messages using even more colors. Reference symbol list

[0038] 1Housing 2Insertion opening 3Contact carrier 4Contact 5Outer housing part 6Inner housing part 7Annular gap 8Bottom 9Front panel 10Bridge 11Release element 12Cutout 13Board 14Coupling surface 15Mounting section 16Mounting hole 17Mounting section 18Mounting hole 19Recess 20Section with increasing cross-section 21Wall 22Light source 23Control 24Conductor track 25Contact points 26Pin 27Bore 28Circuit

Claims

1. A chassis connector comprising a housing (1) with an insertion opening (2) for a complementary cable connector, with a contact carrier (3) inserted in the housing (1) or formed therein, with electrical or optical contacts (4) fixed in the contact carrier (3), and with a front plate (9) which is arranged on the front side of the housing (1), characterized in that the front plate (9) is supported on the front side of the housing (1) and / or covers at least a substantial part of the housing (1), is made of a light-dispersing or light-conducting material, has at least one coupling surface (14) for light from an external light source (22) and has a circumferential ridge (10) that is raised toward the front, which ridge (10) extends along at least a part of the circumference of the insertion opening (2) and forms the front end and the outer delimitation of the insertion opening (2).

2. The chassis connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the front plate (9) consists of a colorless material.

3. The chassis connector according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the housing (1) and the front plate (9) have corresponding mounting sections (15, 17), which radially protrude with respect to the axis of the insertion opening (2) and are provided with at least one mounting bore (16, 18).

4. The chassis connector according to claim 3, characterized in that the coupling surface (14) is arranged on at least one of the mounting sections (17) of the front plate (9).

5. The chassis connector according to claim 4, characterized in that the coupling surface (14) is oriented radially or tangentially, wherein it is preferably provided that the cross-section of the mounting section (20) increases toward the coupling surface (14).

6. The chassis connector according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a recess (19) for a locking arrangement for the cable plug is formed in the housing (1), wherein the locking arrangement comprises an unlocking element (11) protruding forward out of the housing (1), and wherein the front plate (9) has a cutout (12) for passing through the unlocking element (11).

7. A chassis connector arrangement comprising a chassis connector according to one of claims 1 to 6 as well as a circuit board (13) connected thereto, characterized in that a light source (22) and its control (23) and energy supply are provided on the circuit board (13), and at least the light source (22) is arranged immediately adjacent to the coupling surface (14).

8. The arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that the light source (22) is configured and / or controllable for emitting light of at least two different colors.

9. The arrangement according to claim 8, characterized in that the control (23) of the light source (22) is coupled with a circuit (28) for determining different statuses of the arrangement, and the control (23) is designed such that different statuses are marked by the emission of light in different colors.

10. The arrangement according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the light source (22) has LEDs or OLEDs as lighting means.