Connector housing with locking pin

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a connector housing according to the preamble of independent claim 1. The invention also relates to a connector in which such a connector housing is used.

[0002] Such connector housings are also known as grommet, socket or coupling housings and are usually made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, especially when used in harsh, industrial environments. State of the art

[0003] German patent DE 20 2011 105 009 U1 discloses a connector that can be mounted on a device wall. Such connectors are also known as industrial connectors.

[0004] The connector housing shown here features locking pins on which a U-shaped locking lever can be pivotally mounted. Alternatively, the locking pins can also serve to engage such a locking lever. Such a connector can be mated with a mating connector. The connector and mating connector can be locked together via the locking lever. In the locked position, the locking lever of the connector engages the locking pins located on the mating connector housing. This presses the connectors, or rather their connector housings, firmly against each other.

[0005] Often, so-called rivet pins are used as locking pins, with the connector housing and the rivet pins being made of different materials. The connector housing is usually made of die-cast aluminum, while the rivet pin is typically made of steel for stability reasons. This choice of materials leads to undesirable contact corrosion at the contact points between the connector housing and the locking pin or rivet pin. This contact corrosion is particularly prevalent in harsh industrial environments.

[0006] EP 3 105 370 A1 addresses the problem of contact corrosion using chemical methods. EP 3 105 370 A1 describes a connector housing and / or an attachment housing with the aforementioned rivet pins or locking pins. The rivet pins are coated with a metallic layer that reduces contact corrosion between the housing material and the base material of the rivet pins. Such chemical processes are complex and therefore increase the cost of the connector housing. Furthermore, it has been found that the chemical coating on the rivet pins wears down over time due to mechanical stress during the locking process, and contact corrosion still occurs after a certain period.

[0007] DE 10 2019 108 628 A1 shows a connector housing with at least two externally projecting and oppositely arranged locking pins, which are attached to the connector housing via a collar sleeve.

[0008] DE 102017 119 057 B3 discloses a connector housing in which prism-shaped contours are formed near the locking pins, which distance the locking lever from the connector housing during the locking process and thus prevent frictional wear.

[0009] DE 4227 078 A1 shows a connector housing in which the locking pins are surrounded by a rotatable screw sleeve.

[0010] DE 10 2014 101 693 A1 discloses a connector housing which has at least one rivet pin that serves as a so-called bearing pin or locking pin, wherein the rivet pin is coated with a metallic layer. The German Patent and Trade Mark Office has searched the following prior art in the priority application to the present application: DE 10 2019 108 628 A1, DE 10 2017 119 057 B3, DE 10 2008 059 583 A1, DE 42 27 078 A1 and WO 2015 / 120 828 A1. Task

[0011] The object of the invention is to propose a reliable, inexpensive and particularly durable connector housing.

[0012] The problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent claims.

[0013] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims and the following description.

[0014] The connector housing according to the invention has at least two projecting and opposing locking pins on its outer surface. A locking bracket can be pivotably mounted on the locking pins. The locking pins can also be engaged by such a locking bracket to lock the connector. This allows either a connector, for example equipped with a mounting housing that is screwed onto a machine, or a mating connector, for example equipped with a grommet housing, to be equipped with the necessary locking bracket, depending on the situation.

[0015] Preferably, the connector housing has a substantially rectangular cross-section. Connectors of this type are also known as right-angle connectors or industrial connectors. In this case, the long sides of the connector housing can each be equipped with two locking pins. The connector housing would then have a total of four locking pins. Such a connector housing could also be equipped with two locking levers mounted on opposing locking pins on the long sides and pivotable over the narrow sides of the connector housing.

[0016] The connector housing according to the invention has sub-elements, each of which is assigned to a locking pin and is provided for its mechanical support.

[0017] According to the invention, the locking pins are each designed as rivets or screw bolts. This allows the rivets or screw bolts to be made of a material different from that of the connector housing.

[0018] According to the invention, the rivets or screw studs are made of a non-metallic material, for example, a plastic or a ceramic material. Since the connector housing is preferably made of a metallic material, in particular aluminum or an aluminum alloy, the use of non-metallic rivets or screw studs prevents contact corrosion in the fastening area of ​​the rivets or screw studs.

[0019] According to the invention, the sub-elements are shell-shaped and thus have a mechanically stable and load-bearing structure. Advantageously, the sub-elements are cast or molded onto the outside of the connector housing. This allows the connector housing to be equipped with the sub-elements according to the invention in a single operation. As a result, the manufacturing costs of such connector housings are not significantly increased.

[0020] It is advantageous if the connector housing and the sub-components are made of the same material. This enables or simplifies the molding process in a single step.

[0021] Preferably, the sub-elements protrude substantially perpendicularly from the connector housing. This allows the sub-elements to protrude from the connector housing in the same direction as the locking pins.

[0022] According to the invention, the locking pins are each at least partially surrounded by a sleeve. This allows different materials to be used for the locking pin and the rivet or screw bolt. Preferably, the sleeve is made of a metallic material with low frictional wear to ensure a high number of locking cycles. Alternatively, the sleeve can be made of plastic. Preferably, the sleeve is designed as a hollow cylinder with a circular cross-section or as a hollow cylinder with a partially prismatic and partially circular cross-section. Preferably, the shell-shaped substructure is modeled on the design of the sleeve, so that the sleeve is positively supported by the substructure. This allows for the formation of a particularly stable locking contour or locking area. Example of implementation

[0023] An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and is explained in more detail below. The drawings show: Fig. 1 a perspective view of a connector housing according to the invention, Fig. 2 an exploded view of a locking area of ​​a first embodiment of the connector housing according to the invention and Fig. 3 an exploded view of a locking area of ​​a second embodiment of the connector housing according to the invention.

[0024] The figures contain simplified, schematic representations. In some cases, identical reference symbols are used for elements that are the same but may not be identical. Different views of the same elements may be scaled differently. Directional indications such as "left," "right," "up," and "down" are to be understood in relation to the respective figure and may vary between the individual representations compared to the object depicted.

[0025] The invention relates to a connector housing 1 with at least two externally projecting and oppositely arranged locking pins 3, 3', wherein the connector housing 1 has sub-elements 2, 2', each of which is associated with a locking pin 3, 3'. The sub-elements 2, 2' mechanically support the locking pins 3, 3' during the locking process.

[0026] The Figure 1Figure 1 shows a connector housing 1 according to the invention. The connector housing 1 has a substantially rectangular cross-section and in this embodiment is also referred to by those skilled in the art as a grommet housing. Corresponding mounting housings, which are attached to machines in particular as plug sockets, are identical in the aspects relevant to the invention and are therefore not shown separately.

[0027] On each of the long sides of the connector housing 1, two locking areas VB are shown, which are located in the Figures 2 and 3 are shown enlarged as corresponding exploded views.

[0028] The connection areas VB each consist of a substructure element 2, a locking pin 3 and a sleeve 4 pushed over it.

[0029] In the Figure 2In the first embodiment of the invention shown, the locking pin is depicted as a screw bolt 3, which can be screwed into a threaded opening 5 provided for this purpose in the connector housing 1 and thereby fixed thereto. In this embodiment, the sleeve 4 arranged around the screw bolt 3 has a circular cross-section. The sub-element 2 has a correspondingly semi-cylindrical receiving area 6. The sub-element 2 absorbs a large portion of the force acting on the locking pin 2 during the locking process. This allows the locking pin 2 to be made of a less robust material than previously considered. Ideally, a material is selected that does not chemically react with the material of the housing 1. The difference between the materials in the electrochemical series should be as small as possible.

[0030] In the Figure 3A second embodiment of a connector housing 1 according to the invention is shown. In the connector housing 1 shown here, a rivet pin 3' is used as a locking pin. The rivet pin 3' is fastened in a rivet hole 7 provided for this purpose. The rivet hole 7 is advantageously designed as a through-hole. In the embodiment shown here, the sleeve 4', which is pushed over the rivet pin 3', has a prismatic and semicircular cross-section. The prismatic part is associated with the sub-element 2'. The sub-element 2' has a receiving area with a corresponding cross-section into which the prismatic part of the sleeve 4' can be inserted in a form-fitting manner. The semicircular cross-section of the sleeve 4' facilitates the locking process by allowing the receiving area of ​​the locking lever (not shown) to slide over it.The sub-element 2' absorbs a large portion of the force acting on the locking pin 3' during the locking process. This allows the locking pin 3' to be made of a less robust material than previously used. Ideally, a material is chosen that does not chemically react with the material of the housing 1.

[0031] In the embodiments shown here, the connector housings are made of die-cast aluminum. The sub-element 2, 2' is also made of the same die-cast aluminum. The rivets or screw studs 3, 3' are made of plastic or ceramic. However, rivets or screw studs 3, 3' made of aluminum are particularly advantageous, as aluminum is closest to the connector housing material in the electrochemical series and therefore does not cause contact corrosion. The sleeves 4, 4' used are made of plastic, a metal (e.g., steel), or ceramic. Reference symbol list

[0032] 1 Connector housing 2, 2'Substructure element 3 Locking pin, screw bolt 3' Locking pin, rivet bolt 4, 4'Sleeve 5 Threaded opening 6, 6'Receiving area 7 Rivet opening VB Locking area

Claims

1. Connector housing (1) with at least two externally protruding and oppositely arranged locking pins (3, 3'), characterized in that the locking pins (3, 3') are configured as rivet or screw bolts and are made of a non-metallic material, that the locking pins (3, 3') are each at least partially enclosed by a sleeve (4, 4'), that a substructure element (2, 2') is cast on or molded on the outside of the connector housing (1) for each locking pin (3, 3'), and that the substructure elements (2, 2') are shell-shaped for form-fitting reception of the sleeve (4, 4').

2. Connector housing (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the substructure elements (2, 2') are provided for mechanical relief of the locking pins (3, 3').

3. Connector housing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the substructure elements (2, 2') are an integral part of the connector housing (1).

4. Connector housing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the substructure elements (2, 2') protrude perpendicularly from the connector housing (1).

5. Connector housing (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the sleeve (4, 4') is configured as a hollow cylinder with a circular cross-section or as a hollow cylinder with a partially prismatic and partially circular cross-section.

6. Connector housing (1) according to claim 1 or claim 5, characterized in that the sleeve (4, 4') is supported on the substructure element (2, 2') and is received therein in a form-fitting manner at least partially.

7. Connector housing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connector housing (1) and the locking pins (3, 3') are made of different materials.

8. Connector housing (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the connector housing (1) and the substructure elements (2, 2') consist of the same material.

9. Connector with a connector housing (1) according to one of the preceding claims.