SHIELDED CONNECTOR MODULE

Description

[0001] The invention is based on a connector module according to the preamble of independent claim 1.

[0002] The invention further relates to a connector modular system which has a metallic or at least partially metallic connector modular frame and at least one connector module according to claim 10.

[0003] Such connector modules are required as part of a modular connector system to flexibly adapt a connector, especially a heavy-duty industrial connector, to specific requirements regarding signal and power transmission, e.g., between two electrical devices. This allows a wide variety of signals, such as optical and / or electrical analog and / or digital signals and / or electrical power, to be transmitted via a connector in a flexible configuration as needed.

[0004] Typically, the corresponding connector modules are inserted into matching connector modular frames, which are sometimes also referred to as holding frames, articulated frames, module frames, or modular frames. The connector modular frames thus serve to accommodate several similar and / or different connector modules and securely attach them to a surface and / or a device wall and / or in a connector housing, etc.

[0005] The connector modules typically each have a substantially cuboid-shaped insulating body. These insulating bodies can, for example, be designed in two parts and consist of a contact carrier and a retaining plate. This allows them to accommodate and secure plug contacts in their contact chambers.

[0006] The plug contacts of different connector modules can be of a wide variety of types. The function of a connector formed in this way is therefore very flexible. For example, pneumatic modules, optical modules, modules for transmitting electrical energy and / or electrical analog and / or digital signals can be accommodated in the respective insulating body or housing and thus be used in the modular connector system. Connector modules are increasingly also performing measurement and data processing tasks and are therefore particularly sensitive to interference, especially electrical and / or magnetic interference fields and interference.

[0007] To hold several of these modules in the connector housing, connector modular frames are typically used. These frames can be formed from two frame halves that can be pivoted relative to each other and are connected to each other by hinges. The connector modules are provided with approximately rectangular locking lugs protruding from their narrow sides as a holding and polarizing means for their fixation and correct alignment in the connector modular frame.

[0008] The side panels of the frame halves feature recesses designed as fully closed openings, known as "locking windows," into which the locking lugs engage with a positive fit when the connector modules are inserted into the connector modular frame. To insert the connector modules, the connector modular frame is unfolded, i.e., opened, with the frame halves being folded open around the joints only far enough to allow the connector modules to be inserted. The frame halves are then clipped together, i.e., the connector modular frame is closed, with the retaining means moving into the recesses, ensuring a secure, positive fit for the connector modules in the connector modular frame.

[0009] The designs of connector modular frames are diverse. For example, connector modular frames each with a rigid base frame can be used. This can be manufactured using a die-casting process, e.g., zinc die-casting, and can be provided with several flexible cheek parts on its long sides, e.g., stamped and bent parts made of resilient sheet metal. The cheek parts can have locking means such as locking windows or locking hooks or the like, to which the connector modules can lock, e.g., with their locking lugs. For example, two cheek parts can be provided for each connector module, i.e., one on each long side of the base frame, or one or more cheek parts can be used, each with several tabs. One locking element can be arranged on each cheek part and / or each tab, for example.Such connector modular frames have the advantage that the connector modules can be individually inserted into and removed from the connector modular frame with little effort, and for example, even automatically. State of the art

[0010] In the prior art, the said connector modular systems with such connector modules using such a connector modular frame, also known as a holding frame, module frame, articulated frame or module frame, are disclosed in numerous printed documents and publications in many different variants, shown at trade fairs and are frequently used in industrial environments in the form of heavy-duty connectors. For example, they are in the publications DE 10 2013 106 279 A1, DE 10 2012 110 907 A1, DE 10 2012 107 270 A1, DE 20 2013 103 611 U1, EP 2 510 590 A1, EP 2 510 589 A1, DE 20 2011 050 643 U1, EP 0 860 906 A2, DE 29 601 998 U1, EP 1 353 412 A2, DE 10 2015 104 562 A1, EP 3 067 993 A1, EP 1 026 788 A1, EP 2 979 326 A1, EP 2 917 974 A1.

[0011] From the aforementioned document EP 0 860 906 B1, a connector modular frame in the form of an articulated frame is known for holding connector modules and for installation in connector housings or for screwing to wall surfaces. The connector modules are inserted into the connector modular frame. Mounting means are provided on the connector modules, which interact with windows provided on opposite side panels of the connector modular frame. The windows consist of rectangular recesses formed as through openings closed on all sides in the side panels of the connector modular frame.

[0012] The connector modular frame, in its articulated design, consists of two frame halves connected by hinges, with the connector modular frame being separated transversely to the frame's side panels. Joints are arranged in the fastening ends of the connector modular frame so that, when the connector modular frame is screwed onto a fastening surface, the side panels align perpendicularly to the fastening surface, thereby forming a positive connection between the connector modules and the connector modular frame via the retaining means. In practice, such connector modular frames are typically manufactured using a die-casting process, particularly a zinc die-casting process.

[0013] The publication DE 10 2015 114 703 A1 discloses a further development of such a modular connector frame designed as an articulated frame. The modular connector frame disclosed therein has at least one fixing means by which the frame halves can be fixed to each other in two positions, an open position and a closed position, which significantly simplifies handling.

[0014] The publication DE 20 2013 103 611 U1 shows two extremely stable frame halves that can be screwed together using stamping and bending technology. These halves are suitable for accommodating pneumatic modules, among other things. The modular connector frame assembled in this way exhibits very low creep properties, even under high long-term mechanical loads. A disadvantage, however, is that the effort required to add or replace a connector module is extremely high.

[0015] However, practice has shown that such connector modular frames require complex operation during assembly. For example, such connector modular frames must be unscrewed and / or unlocked from the connector housing as soon as even a single module is to be replaced. In the process, the other connector modules, whose removal was not intended, may also fall out of the connector modular frame and then have to be reinserted before the frame halves are screwed together and / or locked together. Finally, all connector modules must be in their intended position simultaneously before the frame halves are joined in order to be permanently fixed in the connector modular frame when the frame halves are joined, which complicates assembly.

[0016] EP 1 801 927 B1 discloses a one-piece connector modular frame made of plastic material. The connector modular frame is designed as a circumferential collar and has several wall segments separated by slots on its plug-in side. Two opposing wall segments each form an insertion area for a connector module, with the wall segments having window-like openings that serve to accommodate projections formed on the narrow sides of the connector modules. Furthermore, a guide groove is provided in each wall segment. The guide groove is formed above the openings by means of an outwardly offset window web, which has an insertion bevel on the inside.In addition, the connector modules have locking arms that are molded onto the narrow sides, acting in the direction of the cable connections, and that lock below the lateral collar wall, so that two independent locking means fix the connector modules in the connector modular frame. This plastic frame has the disadvantage that it does not allow for PE protective earthing, as it does not contain any electrically conductive material. The document DE 10 2013 113 975 B4 discloses a connector modular frame, in particular made of die-cast zinc, for a heavy connector for accommodating similar and / or different connector modules. The connector modular frame consists of a base frame with a rectangular cross-section, which has two opposing side parts. A cheek part consisting of a flexible material, in particular spring-elastic sheet metal, is attached to each side part.When inserting a connector module into the connector modular frame perpendicular to the frame plane, these cheek pieces are first bent outwards away from the side piece. In particular, the cheek pieces can have tabs with locking windows, which are suitable for locking the connector modules individually in the connector modular frame using their locking lugs. The connector modules can thus be inserted individually and with little effort from the cable connection direction and in the plug-in direction into the connector modular frame and removed again in the opposite direction. The inserted connector module is held firmly and stably in the frame plane by the base frame of the connector modular frame. In their insertion direction, perpendicular to the frame plane, they can lock between opposing cheek pieces with their locking lugs.This design has the fundamental advantage that the connector modules can be individually inserted and removed without affecting the fastening of the other connector modules. Furthermore, the design allows the connector modular frame to be made of metal and to have or be equipped with a PE contact. This enables the protective grounding of a metallic connector housing into which the connector modular frame is screwed, as well as, to a certain extent, an electrical and / or magnetic shielding function of the connector modules.

[0017] The basic disadvantage of the current state of the art is that even when using metallic connector modular frames, the electrical shielding of individual connector modules is not always sufficient.

[0018] As a result, electrical signals transmitted via connector modules can be disrupted by electrical and / or magnetic fields that arise outside the respective connector module but within the connector modular frame. Such interference can be caused, for example, by an alternating current electrical power supply. Furthermore, electrical and / or magnetic fields that arise outside the connector modular frame can also disrupt the aforementioned electrical signals within the connector module.

[0019] For interference-free signal transmission, EP 1 398 853 B1 proposes that a connector module comprise an electrically conductive shell housing with a plug insert in a holding body made of insulating material. The connector module is held by locking means in a module carrier device, which in turn is integrated into a connector housing. Within the shell housing, an electrically conductive contact to the shielding of a signal-carrying cable is provided, so that multiple connector modules with independent ground potentials, as well as connector modules that transmit a power supply, pneumatics, or the like, can be arranged in the module carrier device without mutual interference.

[0020] This design has proven disadvantageous for many applications because there is no shield transfer and thus no direct potential equalization of the shield between the connector module and a mating connector module connected to it. This has proven particularly disadvantageous for high-frequency signals.

[0021] To address this problem, the document DE 10 2018 108 968 A1 discloses that each of the two plugged-in connector modules has a shielding interface. A cable connected to each connector module on the cable connection side is connected to this shielding interface, e.g., with a braided shield. The shielding interfaces each cover a large area of ​​one side of the connector module and can be electrically contacted with each other on the plug-in side. Both shielding interfaces are made of a metallic material with particularly good electrically conductive properties. These shielding interfaces can significantly reduce the characteristic impedance.

[0022] However, a disadvantage of this design is that the cross-section of the ground connection of the connected cable is often too small. Furthermore, this still does not ensure direct potential equalization between a metallic connector modular frame and the shielding transfer elements. The shielding known from the prior art is interrupted at least on the narrow sides of the essentially cuboid-shaped connector modules. Connector modules already available on the market cannot be retrofitted with the known shielding devices.

[0023] The German Patent and Trademark Office has searched the following prior art in the priority application for the present application: DE 10 2015 015 189 B3, DE 20 2006 012 687 U1, DE 20 2018 101 278 U1 and WO 2010 / 113 524 A1.

[0024] The document DE 20 2006 012 687 U1 discloses a modular connector system with at least one plug module and one socket module for insertion into a connector frame. The plug module and the socket module are used to connect at least one shielded cable, each having a housing, first terminals, and preferably second terminals that are conductively connected to one another when the plug module and the socket module are plugged together. The first terminals are preferably conductively connected to a plug and a socket on the plug and socket module via busbars. Furthermore, it is disclosed that both the plug module and the socket module each have two shielding plates with angled portions, wherein the angled portions extend in opposite directions on the plug module and the socket module. Task

[0025] The object of the invention is to improve the shielding of a connector module and of a connector modular system equipped therewith in order to ensure a particularly high quality of the electrical signals transmitted by the connector module and in particular to minimize the negative influence of high-frequency electrical and / or magnetic interference fields on the signal quality of these signals.

[0026] The problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims.

[0027] A connector module has a substantially cuboid-shaped insulating body made of an electrically insulating material.

[0028] It also has a plug-in side and, parallel to it, a cable connection side. The cable connection side and the plug-in side are connected via continuous contact chambers. The contact chambers accommodate electrically conductive plug contacts.

[0029] Furthermore, the insulating body has two wide sides running perpendicular to its cable connection and plug-in side and parallel to each other, and two parallel to each other narrow sides at right angles to them. A locking lug is molded onto each of these two narrow sides to secure the connector module in a connector modular frame. These two opposing locking lugs differ in their shape and / or size, thus acting as a polarization device to ensure correct orientation of the connector module in the connector modular frame.

[0030] The connector module is positively enclosed on its wide and narrow sides by a circumferential shielding element, with the shielding element covering more than 50% of the area of ​​each of the wide and narrow sides. This means that the shielding element covers more than 50% of both wide sides and that the shielding element covers more than 50% of both narrow sides. Furthermore, the shielding element is open on both the cable connection side and the plug-in side of the module. The shielding element therefore has openings on the cable connection side and on the plug-in side of the insulating body.

[0031] A connector modular system has an at least partially metallic connector modular frame and such a connector module, wherein the shielding element has at least one outwardly directed contact tab on at least one of its narrow side walls for establishing an additional electrically conductive connection to the connector modular frame and is in electrical connection with the connector modular frame via this outwardly directed contact tab.

[0032] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims and the following description.

[0033] The invention has the advantage that the signals transmitted by the connector module are not disturbed by electrical and / or magnetic fields arising outside the connector module or that such interference is at least largely suppressed.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, the connector module has at least one electrical plug contact with a cable connection section and a plug section. The plug contact is inserted into at least one contact chamber of the insulating body. Its cable connection section is accessible from the cable connection side of the insulating body to advantageously enable the connection of an electrical conductor of a cable, and its plug section protrudes into the plug-in area of ​​the insulating body to advantageously enable a plug connection with a mating connector.

[0035] In an advantageous embodiment, the shielding element is essentially designed as a cuboid frame, which, corresponding to the cuboid shape of the connector module, has two opposing narrow side walls and, at right angles to them, two opposing wide side walls. This is particularly advantageous because it allows the shielding element to be pushed onto the connector module, particularly from the plug-in side, and preferably with a precise fit. Advantageously, both connector modules intended for this purpose and a large number of connector modules already available on the market can be provided with such a shielding element in this way.

[0036] Preferably, the shielding element has recesses on its cable connection-side opening on the narrow side walls, which at least partially encompass the locking lugs on three sides. The locking lugs of the connector modules then protrude at least partially through the recesses. This is particularly advantageous because, despite the shielding element, the locking lugs can still fulfill their function, which is to lock onto the connector modular frame and ensure the correct polarization, i.e., alignment, of the connector module in the connector modular frame.

[0037] In a further preferred embodiment, the shielding element can consist of a sheet metal part. In particular, it can be designed as a stamped and bent part and bent at right angles along four parallel bending edges. Furthermore, the shielding element can have fastening means for mutual fastening on two adjacent fastening edges, so that the shielding element is particularly advantageously formed into a closed, i.e., circumferential shape, in particular the aforementioned cuboid frame.

[0038] These fastening means can preferably consist of a dovetail joint, which is particularly easy to manufacture and also stable.

[0039] In particular, the shielding element can be a stamped and bent part, which can advantageously be manufactured inexpensively and easily and used for shielding.

[0040] According to the invention, in addition to the preferably one-piece shielding element, the connector module also has at least one, in a further embodiment several, for example two, shielding transfer elements. This at least one shielding transfer element can be arranged on one of the two broad sides of the connector module. For this purpose, in an advantageous embodiment, the connector module can have a corresponding recess on its corresponding broad side, into which the shielding transfer element can be inserted, preferably in a form-fitting manner. This has the advantage that the cuboidal shielding element can be easily pushed onto the connector module provided with the at least one shielding transfer element, without being hindered by the latter.

[0041] The at least one shield transfer element can be formed from sheet metal. In particular, it can be a stamped and bent part. The shield transfer element can be designed to be essentially flat. This means that, in particular, a contact area of ​​the shield transfer element for contacting a contact transfer element of a mating connector can be slightly protruded from a main plane of the shield transfer element, e.g., in the form of a slight curve for large-area electrical contact with a contact surface of a shield transfer element of the mating connector.

[0042] The essentially flat shield transfer element for grounding the cable can also have a shield connection area on the cable connection side, which can be placed around the shield of the cable, for example in the form of a crimp contact, and can be compressed by means of a tool, e.g. a pair of pliers.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment, the shielding element can have at least one, preferably several inwardly bent contact tabs for establishing electrical contact with the shielding transfer element. This is advantageous because it allows a common ground contact to be established, particularly in the sense of common earthing at as many contact areas as possible, to generate particularly good shielding even for high-frequency interference signals. These inward-facing contact tabs can advantageously be arranged in a wide side wall because they can then directly contact the underlying shielding transfer element. This can also be advantageous because it leaves sufficient space in the narrow side walls to arrange, for example, outward-facing contact tabs for contacting a metallic connector modular frame and / or inward-facing locking tabs for locking the shielding element to the connector module.The latter are particularly advantageously latched onto the narrow side of the connector module because these narrow sides are preferably free of the shield transfer element, so that the latching cannot be hindered by this.

[0044] The shielding element is thus earthed multiple times and can therefore particularly effectively suppress the influence of high-frequency electrical and / or magnetic fields on the electrical signals transmitted through the connector module. Example

[0045] An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail below. They show: Fig. 1a, respectively, two connector modules in unmated and plugged state; Fig. 2a, b, each of the two connector modules in an exploded view; Fig. 3a, respectively, two insulating bodies of the connector modules; Fig. 4a, b, the connector modules, each with a shielding element; Fig. 5, two plugged-together modular connector systems, each with a connector modular frame and a connector module.

[0046] The figures contain partially simplified, schematic representations. In some cases, identical reference symbols are used for identical, but possibly not identical, elements. Different views of identical elements may be scaled differently.

[0047] The Figures 1a and 1bshow a connector module 1 and a mating connector module 1' that can be plugged into it and is fundamentally similar in structure, both in an unmated and mated state. For verbal simplification, the connector module 1 and the mating connector module 1' are also referred to collectively as connector modules 1, 1' below.

[0048] Each of these connector modules 1, 1' has an essentially cuboid-shaped insulating body 10, 10'.

[0049] The connector modules 1, 1' each further comprise a frame-shaped shielding element 15, 15', which positively engages the insulating body 10, 10'. The shielding element 15, 15' is also essentially cuboid-shaped and has two narrow side walls 153' and, at right angles to them, two wide side walls 154'.

[0050] The respective screen element 15, 15' further has on its narrow side walls 153, 153' in the Fig. 1bdesignated, inwardly directed locking tabs 151, 151' for its attachment to the insulating body 10, 10' and outwardly directed contact tabs 152, 152' for electrically contacting a connector modular frame 2, into which the connector modules can be inserted and in which they can be fixed by means of their locking lugs 122, 122', whereby this only occurs in the Fig. 5 is explicitly shown.

[0051] In addition, each shielding element 15, 15' has an inwardly directed contact tab 156, 156' on one of its two opposite broad side walls 154, 154' for electrically contacting its essentially flat shielding transfer element 14, 14'.

[0052] In the Fig. 1b In the plugged-in state shown, the shield transfer elements 14, 14' contact each other by means of their contact sections 141, 141', which are in the Fig. 1aand thus also ensure a mutual ground connection of their shielding elements 15, 15'.

[0053] The Fig. 2a and 2b show the connector modules 1, 1' each in an exploded view. The connector modules 1, 1' each have a contact carrier 11, 11', several plug contacts 13, 13', and a retaining plate 12, 12'. It is easy to imagine that the respective contact carrier 11, 11' and the associated retaining plate 12, 12' are brought together and locked together to jointly form the respective insulating body 10, 10', shown in more detail below, and thus fix the plug contacts 13, 13' in continuous contact chambers 100, 100'.

[0054] In the present example, the plug contacts 13, 13' of the connector module 1 are designed as socket contacts 13 and those of the mating connector module 1' are designed as pin contacts 13'.

[0055] Furthermore, locking lugs 121, 122' are formed on the narrow side of the holding plates 12.

[0056] Furthermore, the exploded view shows a substantially flat shield transfer element 14, 14' and a frame-shaped, cuboid shield element 15, 15', each as a separate individual part. Both the shield transfer element 14, 14' and the shield element 15, 15' are manufactured using a stamping and bending technique. While the shield transfer element 14, 14' is substantially flat, the shield element 15, 15' is bent at right angles on four edges and formed into a closed frame using a dovetail joint as a fastening means at two adjacent fastening edges. Of course, other fastening means are also known to those skilled in the art.

[0057] The contact section 141 of the shield transfer element 14 of the connector module 1 is punched in a slightly forked shape and slightly bent for better contact with the flat contact section 141' of the shield transfer element 14' of the mating connector 1'. Therefore, the contact tabs of the contact section 141, which are not designated in more detail for reasons of clarity, have slight contact roundings. Nevertheless, both shield transfer elements 14, 14' are considered to be essentially flat.

[0058] On the cable connection side, the shield transfer elements 14, 14' each have a cable connection area 142, 142'. This can be wrapped around the braided shield of a connected cable, for example, using pliers or another suitable tool, and mechanically secured and electrically connected to it using a crimp connection.

[0059] In the Fig. 3a and 3bThe two insulating bodies 10, 10', composed of the respective contact carriers 11, 11' and the associated holding plates 12, 12', can be seen. The insulating bodies 10, 10' are essentially cuboid-shaped and made of an electrically insulating material. On the side of the insulating bodies 10, 10' shown at the bottom of this drawing, the respective contact sections 141, 141' of the shield transfer elements 14, 14' can be seen. On the cable connection side, the cable connection areas 142, 142' of the shield transfer elements 14, 14' can be seen in outline.

[0060] The insulating bodies 10, 10' have a cable connection side 127, 127' on their respective holding plate 12, 12'. Parallel to this, the insulating body 10, 10' has the aforementioned plug-in area 110, 110' with a plug-in side 111, 111' on its contact carrier 10, 10'. The plug-in side 111, 111' and the cable connection side 127, 127' are connected to each other via the contact chambers 100, 100' extending through the insulating body 10, 10'. The contact chambers 100, 100' serve to accommodate the plug contacts 13.

[0061] Furthermore, the insulating bodies 10, 10' each have two broad sides 104, 104' running perpendicular to the contact side 111, 111' and the cable connection side 127, 127' and lying parallel to one another, and two narrow sides 103, 103' lying parallel to one another at right angles thereto. A locking lug 121, 122, 121', 122' is formed on each of the two narrow sides 103, 103', whereby only one locking lug 121, 122' is visible in this illustration because the other locking lug 121', 122 is covered by the insulating body 10, 10'.

[0062] In the Fig. 4a and 4bThe connector modules 1, 1' are each shown in two views. The corresponding insulating bodies 10, 10' are positively surrounded on their wide sides 104 and narrow sides 103' by the 360° circumferential shielding element 15, 15', whereby the shielding element 15, 15' covers the largest part of the area - and thus more than 50% of the area - of the wide sides 104, 104' and the narrow sides 103, 103'. For this purpose, the respective shielding element 15, 15' is pushed onto the respective insulating body 10, 10' on the plug-in side. Furthermore, the shielding element 15, 15' is open on both the cable connection side 127, 127' and the plug-in side 111, 111' of the insulating body 10, 10'.

[0063] The screen element 15, 15' is also essentially cuboid-shaped and has two narrow side walls 153' and, at right angles thereto, two wide side walls 154'.

[0064] On the narrow side walls 153, 153', the shielding element 15, 15' has inwardly directed locking tabs 151, 151' for its fixation to the insulating body 10, 10'.

[0065] In addition, the shielding element 15, 15' has recesses 150, 150' on its narrow side walls 153, 153' at its cable connection-side opening, which at least partially encompass the locking lugs 121, 121', 122, 122' on three sides. The locking lugs 121, 121', 122, 122' of the connector modules 1, 1' thus protrude through the recesses 150, 150'. This is particularly advantageous because the locking lugs 121, 121', 122, 122' can thus fulfill their function despite the respective shielding element 15, 15'.

[0066] This function is in the Fig. 5can be seen particularly well. It consists in the locking lugs 121, 122, 121', 122' of the connector modules 1, 1' locking into locking windows 20, 20' of a connector modular frame 2. Due to their different sizes, they ensure the correct polarization, i.e. alignment, of the respective connector module 1, 1' in the connector modular frame 2. In this case, the connector modular frame 2 is an articulated frame manufactured using a zinc die-casting process. However, it is clear to a person skilled in the art that any other connector modular frame is equally suitable for this application, provided it is at least partially made of metal in order to ensure the electrical conductivity necessary for the ground connection.

[0067] This illustration shows two identical connector modular frames 2, one of which houses the connector module 1 and the other the mating connector module 1'. Each connector modular frame 2 has two opposing side walls 21, 22, which differ in the size of the locking windows 210, 220 arranged therein. It is easily seen that, due to the different sized locking windows 210, 220, misorientation of the connector modules 1, 1' is prevented.

[0068] The connector modules 1, 1' are not only in mutual plug-in contact, but are, as in the Fig. 1b As can be clearly seen, they are also electrically connected to each other over a large area with their shield transfer elements 14, 14' to improve shielding and / or grounding. The two shield transfer elements 14, 14' contact each other via their contact sections 141, 141'.

[0069] In addition, the shielding elements 15, 15' contact the respective metallic connector modular frame 2 with their outwardly directed contact tabs 152, 152' and the respective shielding transfer element 14, 14' with the inwardly bent contact tabs 156, 156', thus ensuring grounding at several points and thus particularly good shielding against high-frequency interference fields.

[0070] Although various aspects or features of the invention are shown in combination in the figures, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art—unless otherwise stated—that the illustrated and discussed combinations are not the only possible ones. In particular, corresponding units or feature complexes from different embodiments can be interchanged. List of reference symbols

[0071] 1, 1'connector modules; (Connector module, mating connector module) 10, 10'Insulating body 100, 100'Contact chambers 103, 103'Narrow side 104, 104'Broad side 11, 11'Contact carrier 110, 110'Mating area 111, 111'Mating side 12, 12'Retaining plate 121, 121', 122, 122'LATCHING lugs 127, 127'Cable connection side 13, 13'Plug contacts (socket contacts, pin contacts) 14, 14'Shield transfer element 141, 141'Contact section of the shield transfer element 142, 142'Cable connection area of ​​the shield transfer element 15, 15'Shield element 150, 150'Recesses 151, 151'Locking tabs of the shielding element 152, 152'Outward-facing contact tabs 153, 153'Narrow side wall 154, 154'Wide side wall 156, 156'Inward-facing contact tabs 2Connector modular frame 21, 22Side walls of the connector modular frame 210, 220Locking window of the connector modular frame

Claims

1. Plug-in connector module (1, 1'), having a substantially cuboidal insulating body (10, 10') composed of an electrically insulating material, wherein the insulating body (10, 10') has a plug-in region (110, 110') with a plug-in side (111, 111') and, situated opposite and parallel thereto, a cable connection side (127, 127'), wherein the cable connection side (127, 127') and the plug-in side (111, 111') are connected to one another via continuous contact chambers (100, 100') for receiving electrically conductive plug-in contacts (13, 13'), wherein the insulating body (10, 10') furthermore has two narrow sides (103, 103') running perpendicularly to its cable connection side (102, 102') and plug-in side (111, 111') and situated opposite and parallel to one another and, at right angles thereto, two broad sides (104, 104') situated opposite and parallel to one another, wherein a detent lug (121, 121', 122, 122') for fixing the plug-in connector module (1, 1') in a plug-in connector modular frame (2) is integrally moulded on each narrow side, wherein these two detent lugs (121, 121', 122, 122') situated opposite one another differ in their shape and / or size in order to thus ensure, as polarization means, a correct orientation of the plug-in connector module (1, 1') in the plug-in connector modular frame (2), characterized in that the plug-in connector module (1, 1') is furthermore form-fittingly surrounded on its broad sides (104, 104') and narrow sides (103, 103') by a peripheral shield element (15, 15'), wherein the shield element (15, 15') covers more than 50% of the two broad sides (104, 104'), and in that the shield element covers more than 50% of the two narrow sides (103, 103') and has an opening both on the cable connection side (127, 127') and on the plug-in side (111, 111') of the insulating body (10, 10'), wherein the plug-in connector module (1, 1'), additionally to the shield element (15, 15'), furthermore has, on at least one of its two broad sides (104, 104'), at least one separate shield transfer element (14, 14'), which is in electrical contact with the shield element (15, 15').

2. Plug-in connector module (1, 1') according to Claim 1, characterized in that the plug-in connector module (1, 1') has at least one electrical plug-in contact (13, 13') with a cable connection portion and a plug-in portion, which is inserted into one of the contact chambers (100, 100') of the insulating body (10, 10'), wherein its cable connection portion is accessible from the cable connection side (127, 127') of the insulating body (10, 10'), and wherein its plug-in portion protrudes into the plug-in region (110, 110') of the insulating body (10, 10').

3. Plug-in connector module (1, 1') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shield element (15, 15') is embodied substantially as a cuboidal frame, which, in a manner corresponding to the cube shape of the plug-in connector module (1, 1'), has two narrow-side walls (153, 153') situated opposite one another and, at right angles thereto, two broad-side walls (154, 154') situated opposite one another.

4. Plug-in connector module (1, 1') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shield element (15, 15') has, at its cable-connection-side opening on its narrow-side walls (153, 153'), cutouts (150, 150') which engage around the detent lugs (121, 121', 122, 122') at least in part on three sides, as a result of which the detent lugs (121, 121', 122, 122') of the plug-in connector modules (1, 1') protrude through the cutouts (150, 150') at least in part.

5. Plug-in connector module (1, 1') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shield element (15, 15') consists of a sheet-metal part, which is embodied as a stamped and bent part and is bent at a right angle at four parallel bending edges, wherein the shield element (15, 15') has, at two fastening edges thus adjacent to one another, fastening means for fastening them to one another and thus for producing a closed frame shape.

6. Plug-in connector module (1, 1') according to Claim 5, characterized in that the shield element (15, 15') is a stamped and bent part.

7. Plug-in connector module (1, 1') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one shield transfer element (14, 14') is formed in one piece as a stamped and bent part from sheet metal and is substantially flat.

8. Plug-in connector module (1, 1') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one shield transfer element (14, 14'), for earth connection to the cable, has a cable connection region (142, 142') on the cable connection side.

9. Plug-in connector module (1, 1') according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shield element (15, 15'), for establishing the electrical contact with the shield transfer element (14, 14'), has inwardly bent contact tabs (156, 156') on at least one of its broad-side walls (154, 154').

10. Plug-in connector module (1, 1') according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the shield element (15, 15'), for establishing an additional electrically conductive connection to an at least partly metal plug-in connector modular frame (2), has at least one outwardly directed contact tab (152, 152') on at least one of its narrow-side walls (153, 153').

11. Plug-in connector modular system, having an at least partly metal plug-in connector modular frame (2) and at least one plug-in connector module (1, 1') according to Claim 10 arranged and fixed in the plug-in connector modular frame, characterized in that the shield element (15, 15') is electrically connected to the plug-in connector modular frame (2) via the outwardly directed contact tab (152, 152').

12. Plug-in connector modular system according to Claim 11, characterized in that the at least one plug-in connector module (1, 1') is fixed in the plug-in connector modular frame (2) and additionally polarized with a predefined orientation by way of its detent lugs (121, 121', 122, 122') form-fittingly engaging in detent windows (210, 220) of different sizes, the plug-in connector modular frame (2) having the detent windows on two side walls (21, 22) situated opposite one another.