USE FOR A CONNECTOR

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

[0001] The present invention relates to a connector, in particular a crimp connector according to the preamble of independent claim 1. STATE OF THE ART

[0002] Existing connectors, such as crimp connectors, accommodate multiple internal connections, including power connections, protective earth (PE) connections, and coding connections. Due to space limitations and the relatively large size of protective earth connections, fewer connections can be accommodated in the connector. Since the type of PE connection used is usually different from that of the power connection, technicians must use an additional screw to secure the PE connection, resulting in a very cumbersome installation.

[0003] US 2019 / 393652 A1 discloses an electrical plug with a plug housing, wherein the electrical plug has a protective conductor contact arranged in the plug housing, and wherein a one-piece protective conductor connecting element separate from the protective conductor contact is arranged in the plug housing.

[0004] DE 10 2017 108 162 A1 discloses an insulating body with an earthing element attached to it, which is screwed to the housing. The earthing element has an earthing contact element for earthing contact with a mating connector part. CONTENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

[0005] The present invention aims to provide an insert for a connector, wherein the insert can accommodate more connections, thereby providing a high-density connector, wherein power connections and protective earth connections of the same type can be used to achieve quick assembly and disassembly, thus also allowing customers to replace the connections according to actual use.

[0006] According to the present invention, an insert for a connector is provided, comprising: an insert housing, wherein a cavity of the insert housing has several connection receiving holes for receiving several connections, and wherein the several connections include at least one protective earthing connection; and a protective earthing plate, which is attached to the outer surface of the insert housing for electrical contact with the protective earthing connection.

[0007] In an advantageous embodiment, the multiple connections include coding connections. According to the invention, the power connections and the protective earth connections are of the same connection type.

[0008] A particular advantage is that the installation of the protective earthing terminals in the enclosure is simplified by the additional provision of a protective earthing plate, allowing the power terminals to be used as protective earthing terminals. Since ordinary power terminals are used as protective earthing connections, a relatively larger number of terminals can be accommodated in the enclosure.

[0009] According to the invention, the protective earthing plate comprises a central section and two side wing parts that each curve convexly from two opposite sides of the central section, wherein the central section has a screw hole for screwing in a screw (50).

[0010] According to the invention, at least two projections are formed on each of the two side wing parts, each projection being provided with a window. Preferably, each side wing part comprises two projections located at its two ends.

[0011] According to the invention, an arm is formed integrally on one of the two projections, the movable end of the arm having a bent section. Advantageously, the arm extends in a plane in which the projections are located, the bent section and the plane forming an angle.

[0012] In other, unclaimed embodiments, the arm can be formed separately and directly on the side wing part. In other words, the arm and the projections are arranged separately from each other.

[0013] According to the invention, the outer surface of a side of the insert housing used for attaching the protective earthing plate is designed in such a way that this outer surface is positively interlocking with the protective earthing plate.

[0014] According to the invention, the outer surface of a side of the insert housing used for attaching the protective earthing plate has a central recess which is used to receive the central section of the protective earthing plate, and two rib parts located on the two sides of the central recess which each snap into the side wing parts of the protective earthing plate.

[0015] According to the invention, the outer walls of the two rib parts each have at least two locking lugs and an opening, wherein the locking lugs can be inserted into the window of the projection part, and wherein the bending section of the arm can project into the opening.

[0016] Advantageously, the outer walls of the rib parts each have two locking lugs, located at both ends of the rib parts, with the opening situated between the two locking lugs.

[0017] In an advantageous embodiment, the ribbed part has a protective earthing connection receiving hole which is connected to the opening; wherein the bent section can contact the protective earthing connections received in the protective earthing connection receiving hole through the opening.

[0018] Advantageously, an electrical connection between the protective earthing terminal and the protective earthing plate is established by bringing the protective earthing terminal into contact with the bent section of the protective earthing plate's arm. An electrical connection between the screw and the protective earthing plate is established by screwing the screw into the screw hole in the central section of the protective earthing plate. This creates an earthing connection between the protective earthing terminal and the screw via the protective earthing plate. Furthermore, the screw secures the casing to the insert housing, thus establishing an earthing connection between the casing and the protective earthing terminal.

[0019] In an advantageous embodiment, the multiple connections comprise 13 power connections and one or two protective earth connections. Preferably, the multiple connections further comprise at least one coding connection, such as one or two coding connections.

[0020] Advantageously, the spatial arrangement allows for the inclusion of varying numbers of connections in this application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0021] The embodiments of the present invention are illustrated in the figures and explained in more detail below. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an insert in an embodiment of the present invention, wherein a plug connector is included in the insert; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the deployment rotated by 90° according to Figure 1 ; Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the insert according to Figure 1 ; Figure 4shows a view of a protective earthing plate; Figure 5 shows a stereoscopic diagram of an insert in another embodiment of the present invention, wherein a socket connector is incorporated in the insert; and Figure 6 shows an exploded view of the insert according to Figure 5 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The present invention is explained in more detail below in connection with the exemplary embodiments and figures. In the description, identical or similar reference numerals indicate the same or similar components. The following explanation of the embodiment of the present invention in connection with the figures is used to explain the overall concept of the present invention and should not be understood as a limitation of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 1Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an insert for a connector in an embodiment of the present invention. The connector according to the present invention is implemented, in particular, as a crimp connector comprising a sleeve (also referred to as an outer shell, not shown) and an insert received in the sleeve. As shown in Figure 2, the connector is a crimp connector. Figure 1 As shown, the insert 1 comprises an insert housing 10 made of plastic. The insert housing is cuboid in shape and has a connection side A and a plug-in side B. The direction from connection side A to plug-in side B is referred to as the plug-in direction. The insert housing 10 has four parallel surfaces: a top and a bottom, and a front and a back, which are not marked for clarity. The cavity of the insert housing 10 has several internal connection holes (see Figure 2) on. In Figure 2 Fourteen holes are shown, and it goes without saying that the number of holes is not limited to this. Each connection hole has one connection. Therefore, the insert housing accommodates 10 multiple connections, which are in Figure 2are provided in a quantity of 14. It goes without saying that the number of connections is not limited to this. Here, the connection is a plug connection. Therefore, insert 1 is a plug insert, while the connector is a plug connector. The connection comprises a power connection 30, a protective earth (PE) connection 31 (hereinafter referred to as PE connection), and a coding connection 32. Here, the power connection and the PE connection can be of the same type, such as a standard Han E crimp connection with a cross-section of 2.5 mm². The multiple connections include at least one PE connection, e.g., one or two. Accordingly, the connection mounting holes comprise a power connection mounting hole 20, a protective earth (PE) connection mounting hole 21 (hereinafter referred to as PE connection mounting hole 21), and a coding connection mounting hole 22.

[0024] Figure 3shows an exploded view of an operation according to Figure 1 . In connection with Figure 3 The main components of the deployment will be explained in more detail.

[0025] A circumferential groove for receiving a sealing element 60 is formed on one of the outer circumferences of the insert housing 10 facing the plug-in side B. The outer surface of one side (top side according to Figure 3The insert housing 10 has a central recess 11 in the area of ​​connection side A, which extends from connection side A to plug-in side B and has a cross-section that is essentially U-shaped. The two sides of the central recess 11, namely the two sides along the plug-in direction, have two ribbed sections 12, the outer surface of which is recessed relative to the outer surface of the insert housing. In particular, the upper surface of the ribbed section 12 is recessed downwards relative to the surface of one side of the insert housing on which the ribbed section is located, while the outer side surface of the ribbed section 12 is recessed inwards relative to the surface of one side of the insert housing on which the ribbed section is located, in order to provide an installation space for the protective earthing plate 40 (explained in more detail below).The two rib sections 12 each have internal connection holes, one or two of which can be configured as PE connection holes 21. The side surface of the rib section 12 has at least two locking lugs 13 and an opening 14, the opening 14 being located between the two locking lugs 13 and connected to the PE connection holes 21.

[0026] The specific structure of the protective earthing (PE) plate 40 (hereinafter abbreviated as PE plate) is in Figure 4The PE plate is made of a metallic material such as copper or a copper alloy and is preferably formed in one piece. The PE plate is elastic. The PE plate 40 comprises a central section 41, which is flat and has a screw hole 47 near one end, and which has two side wing parts 42 that curve convexly from the two sides 411, i.e., the longitudinal sides of the central section 41. The side wing part 42 is formed in an inverted U-shape, with one side of the U-shape being integral with the central section and the other side forming at least two projections 43. A window 44 is arranged in the projection 43.An arm 45 is formed integrally on one of the two projections 43, wherein a fixed end of the arm is formed integrally with the projection 43, and wherein a movable end has a bending section 46 that bends inwards and is in the form of a contact piece. A person skilled in the art in this field can recognize that the arm 45 can be formed separately directly on the side wing part 42.

[0027] With renewed reference to Figure 1The PE plate 40 can be snapped onto the outer surface of the insert housing 10, i.e., both are in a positive fit. The central section 41 of the PE plate 40 is received in the central recess 11 of the insert housing 10 and is exposed to the outside. Preferably, the central section 41 is recessed relative to the surface of one side of the insert housing 10 on which the central section is located, in order to provide an installation space for the screw. Preferably, the space formed between the central section 41 and the bottom of the central recess 11 can be used to accommodate the coding terminals 32. The two side wing parts 42 of the PE plate 40 are each snapped onto the two rib parts 12 of the insert housing 10, with the locking lugs 13 of the rib parts 12 projecting into the window 44 of the projections 43 of the side wing part 42 in order to fasten the PE plate 40 to the insert housing 10.When the PE connector 31 is inserted into the PE connector receiving hole 21 of the rib section 12, the bent section 46 of the arm 45 of the side wing section 42 contacts the PE connector 31 via the opening 14 of the side surface of the rib section 12 to establish an electrical connection between the PE connector and the PE plate. The screw 50 can then be screwed from above into the screw hole 47 of the central section 41 of the PE plate 40 to establish an electrical connection between the screw and the PE plate. Finally, an earth connection is established between the PE connector and the screw through the PE plate. Additionally, the screw can secure the sheath (not shown) to the insert housing to establish an earth connection between the PE connector and the sheath.

[0028] The Figure 5 and 6Figures 1 and 2 show a perspective view and an exploded view of an insert 1' in another embodiment of the present invention. The insert 1' is essentially the same as the insert 1 according to Figure 1. Figure 1 , and identical components adopt the same reference numerals. The main difference is only that the insert housing 10' accommodates the socket connections 30', 31', 32' inside, thus the insert is called a socket insert, and a connector that uses the insert becomes a socket connector.

[0029] It is obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments. Furthermore, the present invention can be implemented in other embodiments without deviating from the concepts or essential features of the present invention.

Claims

1. Insert (1, 1') for a connector, comprising: an insert housing (10, 10'), wherein a cavity of the insert housing has a plurality of terminal receiving holes (20, 21, 22) for receiving a plurality of terminals (30, 31, 32; 30', 31', 32'), and wherein the plurality of terminals comprise at least one protective earth terminal (31, 31'), wherein the plurality of terminals further comprise power terminals (30, 30'), and wherein the power terminals and the protective earth terminals are of the same terminal type; and a protective earth plate (40), which is attached to the outer surface of the insert housing for electrical contact with the protective earth terminal, wherein the protective earth plate (40) comprises a middle section (41) and two side wing parts (42) curving convexly from two mutually opposite sides (411) of the middle section respectively, characterized in that the middle section has a screw hole (47) for screwing in a screw (50), wherein the two side wing parts (42) each form at least two projections (43), and wherein each projection is provided with a window (44) respectively, wherein an arm (45) is integrally formed on one of the two projections (43), and wherein the movable end of the arm has a bent section (46), wherein an outer surface of a side of the insert housing (10, 10') used for attaching the protective earth plate (40) is configured such that this outer surface is form-fitting with the protective earth plate (40), wherein the outer surface of a side of the insert housing (10, 10') used for attaching the protective earth plate (40) has: a central recess (11) which is used for receiving the middle section (41) of the protective earth plate, and two rib parts (12) located on both sides of the central recess, which latch respectively with the side wing parts (42) of the protective earth plate, and wherein the outer side walls of the two rib parts (12) each have at least two locking lugs (13) and an opening (14), and wherein the locking lugs (13) can be inserted into the window (44) of the projection part (43), and wherein the bent section (46) of the arm (45) can protrude into the opening (14).

2. Insert (1, 1') for a connector according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of terminals (30, 31, 32; 30', 31', 32') further comprise coding terminals (32, 32').

3. Insert (1, 1') for a connector according to claim 1, wherein the rib part (12) has a protective earth terminal receiving hole (21) which is connected to the opening (14); and wherein the bent section (46) can contact the protective earth terminals (31, 31') received in the protective earth terminal receiving hole through the opening.

4. Insert (1, 1') for a connector according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of terminals comprise 13 power terminals and one or two protective earth terminals.