LOCKING DEVICE FOR CABLE CONNECTORS

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a locking device for cable connectors, comprising a first housing and a second housing which can be placed against one another in an engagement direction, a set of elastic locking tabs which are held by fastening elements on the first housing and can be locked in a latching manner on locking projections of the second housing, and an unlocking ring which can be displaced on the housings in the engagement direction and which has unlocking bevels for transferring the locking tabs into an unlocked position.

[0002] Such locking devices are used, for example, to lock mutually complementary connectors, for example electrical connectors, which are each accommodated in one of the two housings, so that by locking the two housings together, the connectors are also held in their engaged position.

[0003] In particular, the invention relates to locking devices for connectors that have relatively large dimensions, for example, on the order of several centimeters, so that the housings used to accommodate the connectors must also have correspondingly large dimensions and a relatively high weight. Since relatively large forces can occur during handling of these connectors and the associated housings, the locking devices must meet high stability requirements.

[0004] EP 1 729 377 A1 discloses a locking device of the type mentioned above, in which the fastening elements are molded onto the wall of the first housing and define insertion slots into which the fastening tabs can be inserted. Accordingly, the locking projections of the second housing are also formed by moldings on the housing wall.

[0005] The German Patent and Trademark Office has searched the following prior art in the priority application for the present application: DE 36 24 678 A1, DE 20 2006 004 794 U1, DE 12 44 499 A, US 6,030,244 A and EP 1 729 377 A1.

[0006] The object of the invention is to create a locking device that can be efficiently manufactured in a large number of variants for connectors with different dimensions and different stability requirements.

[0007] This object is achieved according to the invention in that the fastening elements and the locking projections are designed as pins which are embedded in the peripheral walls of the two housings.

[0008] With this locking device, neither housing needs to have special moldings for the locking tabs. This significantly reduces tooling costs for housing production. For a stable attachment of the fastening elements and locking projections, it is sufficient to create suitable holes in the housing walls, into which the pin-shaped fastening elements and locking projections are then anchored, for example, using threaded or riveted connections. The number and positions of the locking tabs can then be flexibly adapted to the respective shape and size of the housing and the stability requirements.

[0009] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims. In one embodiment, the fastening elements and the locking projections are formed by rivet pins. The locking projections can then simply be formed by the rivet heads of these pins. The fastening tabs can be formed, for example, by spring plates, each having a hole for the rivet pin used for fastening. In a position offset from the rivet hole, these spring plates can have a run-on bevel for the locking projection as well as a further hole into which the locking projection engages when locked. When the first housing is then placed against the second housing, the run-on bevels of the spring plates run onto the locking projections and are thereby elastically expanded until the locking projections engage in the openings of the spring plates.This creates a tensile-resistant connection between the two housings, which can only be released again by bending the spring plates away from the walls of the second housing using the release bevels of the release ring, thus releasing the rivet heads that serve as locking projections. The bevels of the spring plates can also serve as counter surfaces for the release bevels.

[0010] In the following, an embodiment example is explained in more detail using the drawing.

[0011] They show: Fig. 1 an axial section through two interlocked housings of a locking device according to the invention; Fig. 2 the locking device according to Fig. 1 in the unlocked state; Fig. 3 a front view of the two housings separated from each other after unlocking; and Fig. 4 a side view of the housings locked together.

[0012] In Fig. 1 In an axial section, a first housing 10 and a second housing 12 are shown, which are placed against each other in an engagement direction A and locked together. Each of the two housings 10, 12 serves to accommodate one of two complementary components of a connector (not shown), for example an electrical connector. Inside, both housings 10, 12 have fittings 14, 16, which serve to position and fix the components of the connector. The first housing 10 also has in the wall, which in Fig. 1 shown in the interior view, has a passage 18 for an electrical connection cable.

[0013] Grip recesses 20 are formed in the two walls of the first housing 10 shown in section. As an example, it can be assumed that the housing is dimensioned in width such that it can just be spanned by the thumb and fingers of one hand.

[0014] The two housings 10, 12 can be made of plastic or metal.

[0015] The second housing 12 has a seal 22 on its upper edge, onto which the first housing 10 is placed with its lower edge.

[0016] Near its lower edge, the first housing 10 has two rivet pins 24 in each of the two side walls shown in section, only one of which is visible and shown in section. Each rivet pin 24 engages on the outside of the housing through a rivet hole of a locking tab 26, which in the example shown is formed by a strip of spring steel sheet. A cranked upper edge of the locking tab engages in a shallow recess 28 formed in the outer wall of the first housing 10. This positions the locking tab 26 so that it extends vertically downwards from the rivet pin 24. The head of the rivet pin 24 holds the locking tab firmly in contact with the outer wall of the housing 10. A part of the locking tab located below the rivet pin 24 is bent away from the housing wall and then runs diagonally downwards towards the outer surface of the wall of the second housing 12.In this section, which tapers diagonally toward the second housing 12, the locking tab has an elongated hole 30 through which a locking projection 32 of the second housing 12 extends. This locking projection 32 is the head of another rivet pin 34, which is firmly riveted into the peripheral wall of the second housing 12. Below the rivet pin 34, the locking tab 26 forms a ramp 36 that extends away from the housing wall.

[0017] The two housings 10, 12 are surrounded at the level of the seal 22 by a release ring 38, which forms a pocket 40 on the inside for each locking tab, in which the heads of the rivet pins 24 and 34 as well as the locking tab 26 are received. At its lower edge, the release ring 38 forms a release bevel 42, which is in the Fig. 1 shown state is located slightly below the run-up slope 36 of the locking tab.

[0018] The release ring 38 is guided axially, i.e. parallel to the engagement direction A, displaceably on the first housing 10. The upper edge of the pocket 40 forms a stop for the head of the rivet pin 24, whereby the movement play of the release ring downwards in Fig. 1 Further above, the unlocking ring has two projections 44 located at the same height, each of which engages in one of the recesses 28 and thus limits the upward movement of the locking ring.

[0019] The first housing 10 can be mounted on the second housing 12 and locked thereto in the following manner. First, the release ring 38 is pushed into its lower end position, or it falls into the lower end position automatically when the first housing 10 is grasped at its upper part. The housing 10 is then placed onto the seal 22, whereby the locking ring 38 is pushed with its lower part over the heads of the rivet pins 34. The locking tabs 26 run with their run-up bevels 36 onto the heads of these rivet pins 34 and are thereby temporarily elastically spread outwards. As soon as the lower edges of the elongated holes 30 have passed the rivet heads, the locking tabs spring elastically into the Fig. 1 The locking mechanism is then returned to the position shown, and the locking is established. The parts of the unlocking ring 38 that form the bottom of the pockets 40 prevent the locking tabs 26 from being elastically spread and released from the locking projections 32.

[0020] If the lock is to be released, the release ring 38 is pushed upwards into the Fig. 2 shown position. In doing so, the unlocking bevels 42 slide onto the outwardly bent lower ends of the locking tabs 26 and cause them to spread apart. Since the locking ring 38 has moved upwards as a whole, the locking tabs 26 can be spread apart until the part forming the elongated hole 30 rests against the bottom of the pocket 40 and the locking projection 32 has emerged from the elongated hole. The locking ring 38 then reaches its upper end position. If it is pulled further upwards, the first housing 10 is consequently pulled away from the second housing 12. As this withdrawal movement continues, the parts of the unlocking ring that form the unlocking bevels 42 move upwards past the locking projections 32 until finally the locking ring 38 has also been completely released from the second housing.As soon as the release ring is released, gravity and the restoring forces of the locking tabs 26 ensure that the release ring returns to its initial position relative to the first housing 10. Fig. 1 returns.

[0021] Fig. 3 shows a view in which the housings 10, 12 are completely separated from each other, but the release ring 38 is still in its raised position relative to the housing 10. In this view, it can be seen that the release ring 38 is divided into two interlocking half-shells along a dividing seam 46. The lower housing 12 has a connecting flange 48 on its lower edge on the front and on the back, which enables attachment to another component (not shown).

[0022] Fig. 4shows a side view of the housings 10, 12 in the locked state. The side walls of the housing 10, one of which is partially visible in this view, have two recesses 28, in each of which one of the projections 40 is guided. The projections 44 are located on a triangular extension that extends the corresponding leg of the release ring 38 upwards. At the lower edge of this leg, two sets of release bevels 42 are formed, one set for each of the two locking tabs located on this side of the housing 10. In the center of this leg of the release ring, a grip recess 50 is formed, which facilitates gripping and adjusting the release ring.

Claims

1. A locking device for line connectors, comprising: a first housing (10) and a second housing (12), which can be placed against one another in an engagement direction (A); a set of elastic locking clips (26), which are retained on the first housing (10) by fastening members and can be locked with snap action on locking protrusions (32) of the second housing (12); and an unlocking ring (38), which can be displaced on the first housing (10) and the second housing (12) in the engagement direction (A) and has unlocking slopes (42) for transferring the locking clips (26) into an unlocked position, characterized in that the fastening members and the locking protrusions (32) are pins (24, 34) which are embedded in circumferential walls of the first housing (10) and the second housing (12).

2. The locking device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pins (24, 34) are rivet pins.

3. The locking device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the locking clips (26) are spring plates which are riveted to an outside of walls of the first housing (10) by the rivet pins (24).

4. The locking device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein each locking clip (26) has an opening (30) for engaging a respective one of the locking protrusions (32), which is formed by a head of one of the rivet pins (34).

5. The locking device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein each of the locking clips (26), at its end which is directed toward the second housing (1), has an outward-spread portion which forms a run-on slope (36) for one of the locking protrusions (32).

6. The locking device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the unlocking slopes (42) of the unlocking ring (38) are arranged such that they act on the outward-spread portions of the locking clips (26), these portions forming the run-on slopes (36).

7. The locking device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein, for each of the locking clips (26), the unlocking ring (38) has, on its inside, a pocket (40) which, in a locked position, receives the respective locking clip (26) and also associated rivet heads of the rivet pins (24, 34) and limits an outward-pivoting movement of the respective locking clip.

8. The locking device as claimed any of the preceding claims, wherein a displacement path of the unlocking ring (38) relative to the first housing (10) is delimited in both directions by stops.

9. The locking device as claimed in claims 7 and 8, wherein one of the stops is formed by one end of the pocket (40) and by the rivet head of the rivet pin (24), which forms the fastening member for the locking clip (26).

10. The locking device as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein one of the stops is formed by a protrusion (44) which protrudes from the unlocking ring (38) towards the circumferential wall of the first housing (10) and engages in a hollow (28) formed in this circumferential wall.