Electrical contact element, plug connector insert, and modular industrial plug connector comprising same

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical contact element to be deployed in a modular industrial plug connector that has a plug connector housing made of metal, said contact element comprising a contact region and a fastening region, wherein the fastening region, in order to fasten the contact element to the plug connector housing, comprises a securing opening for receiving a fastening means. A plug connector insert for a modular industrial plug connector is designed to receive such a contact element. A modular industrial plug connector comprises such a plug connector insert.

Description

[0001] Title: Electrical contact element, connector insert and modular

[0002] Industrial connectors with it

[0003] Description

[0004] The invention relates to an electrical contact element for use in a modular industrial connector having a connector housing made of metal, a connector insert having such a contact element and a modular industrial connector having such a connector insert.

[0005] State of the art

[0006] Modular industrial connectors, thanks to their modular design, can be flexibly adapted to specific requirements regarding signal and power transmission, e.g., between two electrical devices. Typically, connector modules are inserted into corresponding retaining frames, sometimes also referred to as articulated frames, module frames, or modular frames, to form connector inserts. The retaining frames thus serve to accommodate several similar and / or different connector modules and securely fasten them to a surface and / or a device wall and / or in a connector housing, etc. However, such retaining frames require additional space in the industrial connector, making their use in particularly compact industrial connectors undesirable.

[0007] Modular connectors use connector modules 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. For this purpose, connector modules are typically inserted into corresponding holding frames, which are sometimes also referred to as articulated frames, module frames, or modular frames. The holding 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. Connector modules can be composed of two different functional units.

[0008] Connector housings can be made of different materials, such as various plastics or metal. If a connector housing is made of metal, it requires contact with a protective conductor for safety reasons in many applications. For industrial connectors that have a retaining frame, connector modules are provided for this purpose. These modules have an electrical connection to the retaining frame and are connected to a protective conductor. The retaining frame, in turn, has an electrical connection to the connector housing.

[0009] The German Patent and Trademark Office has searched the following prior art in the priority application for the present application: DE 10 2015 122 195 A1 .

[0010] Task

[0011] Against this background, the invention solves the problem of simplifying the use of metal connector housings in compact modular industrial connectors.

[0012] The object is achieved by a contact element according to claim 1, a connector insert according to claim 4, and an industrial connector according to claim 8. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0013] The object is achieved, for example, by an electrical contact element for use in a modular industrial connector having a connector housing made of metal, wherein the contact element has a contact area and a fixing area, wherein the fixing area has a fastening opening for receiving a fixing means for fixing the contact element to the connector housing.

[0014] By directly attaching the contact element to the connector housing, this offers the possibility of electrically connecting the contact element to the metal connector housing in a compact manner. By eliminating the need for a mounting cage or retaining frame, a very compact design can be achieved.

[0015] In further embodiments, the contact area is designed to receive and / or contact a second contact element.

[0016] This allows the potential of the protective conductor to be passed on to another industrial connector.

[0017] In further embodiments, the contact element has a connection area for connecting an electrical conductor.

[0018] This allows a protective conductor to be easily connected to the contact element.

[0019] The object is further achieved by a connector insert for use in a modular industrial connector, which has at least a first functional unit and a second functional unit, wherein the first functional unit is designed to receive a contact element according to one of the preceding claims.

[0020] This allows a compact connector insert to be constructed for use in metal connector housings.

[0021] In further embodiments, the first functional unit at least partially encloses the contact element and thereby fixes it relative to the connector insert, wherein the first functional unit has a through-opening for the passage of the fixing means and / or the contact element, which is arranged and / or shaped such that a portion of the contact element and / or the fixing means forms an electrical contact with the connector housing when installed in the connector housing.

[0022] This ensures a particularly secure arrangement of the contact element and the connector insert in the connector housing and at the same time ensures a secure electrical connection between the contact element and the connector housing.

[0023] In further embodiments, the functional units have integrally formed fastening means for mutual fastening to one another, which are arranged complementarily to one another.

[0024] By attaching the functional units to one another, the connector insert as a whole can also be secured in the connector housing using the fixing means. Since additional frame elements are thus eliminated, a particularly compact design is achieved. In some embodiments, at least two, in particular all, contact elements of the functional unit have a connection area of ​​the same design.

[0025] This simplifies the construction of the functional unit, since the connection of the contact elements with cables is the same for several or all contact elements and is therefore easy to train and can be carried out quickly and thoroughly as a routine activity.

[0026] The object is further achieved by a modular industrial connector having a connector insert according to one of claims 4 to 7, wherein, when connected to another such industrial connector, the connector housings of the two industrial connectors are electrically connected to one another by means of the contact elements.

[0027] This makes it possible to create a particularly compact modular industrial connector that allows the use of a metal connector housing in a compact manner.

[0028] The functional units each have molded-on holding means. The holding means protrude on the narrow sides and are approximately rectangular or cuboid-shaped. When functional units are assembled to form a connector module, the holding means are accommodated in the recesses of the aforementioned holding frame. To insert the connector modules, the holding frame is unfolded, i.e. opened, with the frame halves being unfolded around the joints only far enough to allow the connector modules to be inserted. The frame halves are then clipped together, i.e. the holding frame is closed, with the holding means moving into the recesses and ensuring a secure, positive fit for the connector modules in the holding frame.

[0029] The functional units shown here can be used individually or assembled into a connector module and fixed in a holding frame in an industrial connector of different sizes.

[0030] Example

[0031] An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail below. They show:

[0032] Fig. 1 is an exploded view of two complementary industrial connectors with connector inserts and contact elements;

[0033] Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the industrial connectors from Fig. 1 in assembled and nested form and

[0034] Fig. 3 is a sectional view of two industrial connectors similar to Fig. 2 with an alternative design of the contact elements and

[0035] Fig. 4 a 3D view of interconnected connector inserts.

[0036] 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.

[0037] Directional references such as "left," "right," "top," and "bottom" are to be understood with reference to the respective figure and may vary in the individual illustrations relative to the object depicted. An industrial connector 10 shown in Fig. 1 comprises a connector housing 12 and a first connector insert 14. The connector insert 14 comprises a first functional unit 16 and a second functional unit 18.

[0038] To form an industrial connector 10, a connector housing 12 (not shown) and a second connector insert 22 are provided. The second connector insert 22 has a first functional unit 16 and a second functional unit 24.

[0039] The second functional unit 18 of the connector insert 14 and the second functional unit 24 of the connector insert 22 are designed such that one of the functional units 18, 24 can be accommodated by the other. This is achieved, for example, by fittings and / or slightly inclined guide walls. Furthermore, the functional units 18, 24 can be designed to be non-rotatable, for example, through their shape.

[0040] The first functional units 16 and the second

[0041] Functional units 18, 24 can be fastened to one another by means of fastening means, which are designed, for example, as tabs 26 or receptacles 28. The tabs 26 and the receptacles 28 can form a snap connection with one another, for example.

[0042] Contact elements 30 can be inserted into the first functional units 16. Fixing means 38 are provided for fastening the contact elements 30 to the first functional units 16 and / or to the respective connector housing 12. For receiving the fixing means 38 in the contact elements 30, a

[0043] A receiving opening is provided in the fixing area 40 of the contact elements 30. If the fixing means 38 is a screw, for example, a thread can be provided in the receiving opening. The first functional units 16 each have feedthrough openings through which the fixing means 38 can be guided.

[0044] To determine the arrangement of the contact element 30, the first functional unit 16 encloses the contact element 30 on one side. Furthermore, the first functional unit 16 rests against at least some surfaces of the contact element 30.

[0045] The contact elements 30 each have one or more contact areas 32, 34. The contact areas 32, 34 are designed such that, when two contact elements 30 are arranged opposite one another and with the contact areas 32, 34 facing one another, a contact area 32 of one of the contact elements 30 is in contact with a contact area 34 of the oppositely arranged contact element 30. For this purpose, the contact areas 32, 34 are designed, for example, as two tabs pointing in the plug-in direction and arranged offset from one another, wherein one of the contact areas 34 has a contact tip 36 that extends towards the contact area 32 of the opposite contact element 30 and contacts it. As a result, the tabs 32, 34 of the respective contact elements 30 engage with one another, as can be seen, for example, in Fig. 2.

[0046] To form the connector insert 14, in a first step, the contact element 30 is inserted into the first functional unit 16, and in a second step, the first functional unit 16 is fastened to the second functional unit 18 by means of the tabs 26 and / or receptacles 28. If the second functional unit 18 requires contact elements and / or socket elements, for example, these can be inserted in a third step. The third step can also be carried out before the first step, for example. To form the industrial connector 10, the connector insert 14 is inserted into the connector housing 12 in a first step, and in a second step, the contact element 30 is fixed by means of the fixing means 38.

[0047] For connecting conductors, a connection area 44 is provided, which can be designed in different types. Each type is defined by the way in which the conductor is attached to the connection area 44.

[0048] Two fully assembled and nested industrial connectors 10 are shown in Fig. 2. The second functional units 18, 24 are shown nested, as are the connector housings 12. The fixing means 38 are each guided through fastening openings 42 of the connector housings 12.

[0049] In some embodiments, the contact elements 30 have, in their fixing region 40, a substantially cylindrical or prismatic contact section that extends along the fixing means 38 to the connector housing 12 and creates a direct connection between the contact element 30 and the connector housing 12. At the same time, the contact section can be used to define an arrangement of the contact regions 32, 34 relative to the connector housing 12. Each of the contact regions 32, 34 is thus electrically directly connected to the connector housing 12 via a contact section of its respective contact element 30. Furthermore, it can be prevented, for example, that the first functional unit 16 is damaged by overtightening the fixing means 38.In order to facilitate the contacting of the connector housing 12 with the contact element 30, the connector housing 12 can have an unpainted or paint-free surface section for contacting the fixing area 40, in particular the contact section.

[0050] The further embodiment of the industrial connector 10 shown in Fig. 3 differs essentially from the previous embodiment in the manner in which the contact elements 30 are formed at their contact areas 32, 34. The contact area 34 is designed as a pin, for which the contact area 32 provides a receptacle which, for example, has the shape of a hollow cone at least in sections.

[0051] Furthermore, the contact elements 30 differ from the previously shown embodiments in the design of the connection areas 44. The contact elements 30 have, for example, a quick-lock fastener 44 for connecting the contact elements 30 to cables made of fine stranded wire (“Quick-Lock”).

[0052] In further embodiments, the quick-release fastener 44 can have an axially acting spring into which a conductor can be inserted ("push-in"). A connector insert 14 for receiving a contact element 30 configured in this way is shown in Fig. 4. A retaining edge of the spring holds and contacts the inserted conductor. The connection thus formed can be released by pressing in a release device 46.

[0053] The shape of the contact areas 32, 34 and a connection area for connecting cables, for example, the quick-release fastener 44, are independent of one another and can be combined as desired. In some embodiments, the contact elements 30 can be formed, for example, as a stamped and bent part, for example, also integrally with the first functional unit 16. In this case, the fastening means 26, 28 for fastening to the second functional unit 18, 24 can also be integrally formed with the contact element 30 on the first functional unit 16.

[0054] Beyond the embodiment shown here, the fastening means 26, 28 can form any desired snap-in connection for connecting the functional units 16, 18, 24. Such snap-in connections can be implemented extremely compactly while still ensuring high-quality fixation of the functional units 16, 18, 24 to one another.

[0055] The present invention allows a simple implementation of a protective conductor and grounding of a metal connector housing 12 in a compact design.

[0056] List of reference symbols

[0057] 10 industrial connectors

[0058] 12 connector housings

[0059] 14 Connector insert

[0060] 16 first functional unit

[0061] 18 second functional unit

[0062] 22 connector insert

[0063] 24 second functional unit

[0064] 26 Fasteners (tab)

[0065] 28 Fasteners (receiver)

[0066] 30 contact element

[0067] 32 Contact area

[0068] 34 Contact area

[0069] 36 contact tip

[0070] 38 Fixatives

[0071] 40 Fixing area

[0072] 42 Mounting hole (of the connector housing 12)

[0073] 44 Connection area (quick release)

[0074] 46 Release device

[0075] 47 Mounting devices

Claims

Claims Electrical contact element (30) for use in a modular industrial connector (10) having a connector housing (12) made of metal, wherein the contact element (30) has a contact region (32, 34) and a fixing region (40), wherein the fixing region (40) has a fastening opening for receiving a fixing means (38) for fixing the contact element (30) to the connector housing (12). Contact element (30) according to claim 1, characterized in that the contact region (32, 34) is designed to receive and / or contact a second contact element (30). Contact element (30) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by a connection region (44) for connecting an electrical conductor.Connector insert (14, 22) for use in a modular industrial connector, comprising at least a first functional unit (16) and a second functional unit (18, 24), characterized in that the first functional unit (16) is designed to receive a contact element (30) according to one of the preceding claims. Connector insert (14, 22) according to claim 4, characterized in that the first functional unit (16) at least partially encloses the contact element (30) and thereby fixes it relative to the connector insert (14, 22), wherein the first functional unit (16) has a through-opening for the passage of the fixing means (38) and / or the contact element (30), which is arranged and / or shaped such that a portion of the contact element (30) and / or the fixing means (38) forms an electrical contact with the connector housing (12) when installed in the connector housing (12). Connector insert according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the functional units (16, 18, 24) have releasable fastening means (26, 28) formed integrally for mutual fastening to one another, which are arranged complementarily to one another.Connector insert according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that at least two, in particular all, contact elements (30) of the functional units (16, 18, 24) have a connection area (44) of the same design. Modular industrial connector (10), characterized by a connector insert (14, 22) according to one of claims 4 to 7, wherein, when connected to another such industrial connector (10), the connector housings (12) of the two industrial connectors (10) are electrically connected to one another by means of the contact elements (30).

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