Appliance connection plug-in connector with light indicator

Abstract

In order to add a light indicator to an existing appliance connection plug-in connector, according to the invention said connector is equipped with the following: - with an at least partially transparent, circumferential frame part (7) for arranging around a wall opening of a housing wall (3) of an appliance housing. The frame part (7) is fixed between a mounting flange (81) of a mounting housing of the appliance connection plug-in connector and the housing wall (3). - Having at least one LED (5) for emitting light signals through the transparent frame part (7). - Having at least one carrier component (6) for securing the at least one LED (5), wherein the carrier component (6) has a passage or at least one through opening for the passage of the at least one appliance cable (4) of the appliance.

Description

[0001] Title: Device connection connector with illuminated indicator

[0002] Description

[0003] The invention is based on a device connection connector according to the preamble of independent claim 1.

[0004] Furthermore, the invention is based on an extension kit for a device connection connector.

[0005] Such device connection connectors are required in order to be mounted on the wall opening of a device housing of a device, in particular an electrical device, and to lead signals and / or energy, in particular electrical signals and / or electrical energy, into and / or out of the device housing on the connection side by connecting them to a usually wired mating connector.

[0006] The term "device connection connector" is understood by those skilled in the art here and below to mean a connector whose connector housing is designed as a panel-mounted housing, i.e., which can be mounted on a wall opening in a housing wall of a device housing. In particular, this can be made possible by the panel-mounted housing having a mounting flange with at least two screw holes through which the device connection connector can be screwed to the housing wall using at least two screws. The term "screw hole" merely refers to the shape of a through-hole and its function—namely, that a screw is inserted through it for screwing—but not to a manufacturing process such as drilling or any material feature beyond a through-hole.

[0007] State of the art

[0008] The publication DE 20 2017 100 608 U1 describes a connector with a status indicator. For this purpose, LEDs with corresponding electronics are incorporated into the connector housing.

[0009] Building on this, the publication DE 10 2018 125 121 A1 discloses a housing terminal connector with printed circuit board terminals, a connector housing, a plurality of electrical contact elements, an elastic sealing body, and a light indicator. The elastic sealing body has a transparent sealing ring connected to at least one light-guiding arm extending from the sealing ring. The light arm can guide the light signal from an LED (“Light Emitting Diode”) arranged in the connector housing to the transparent sealing ring, where it can also be displayed outside the connector housing.

[0010] A disadvantage of this state-of-the-art technology is the high assembly effort required for such device connectors. Especially in automated production and / or assembly on the device housing, the existing designs have proven to be at least suboptimal in this regard. There is still no option to retrofit existing device connectors, for example, those already on the market, with an illuminated indicator.

[0011] Task

[0012] The object of the invention is to provide a design for a device connection connector that has an illuminated indicator and whose assembly effort is as minimal as possible. In particular, it should be possible to easily retrofit an existing device connection connector according to this design, e.g., one already on the market, with such an illuminated indicator.

[0013] Thus, an additional object is in particular to provide an extension kit with which the aforementioned, already existing device connection connector can be easily retrofitted with a light indicator.

[0014] The problem is solved by the subject matter of independent claim 1.

[0015] A device connection connector has the following:

[0016] A panel-mounted housing with a panel-mounted flange, the panel-mounted flange having at least two screw holes for fastening the device connection plug connector to a wall opening in a housing wall of a device; at least two fastening screws which serve to be guided through the screw holes for fastening the device connection plug connector to the housing wall; at least one contact carrier arranged in the panel-mounted housing; at least one plug contact arranged in the contact carrier, having a plug-in area for plugging into a mating plug contact of a mating plug connector and a connection area with at least one connection for connecting at least one device cable of the device; an at least partially transparent, circumferential frame part for arrangement around the wall opening, the frame part being fixable between the panel-mounted flange of the panel-mounted housing and the housing wall of the device housing.At least one LED (“light-emitting diode”) for emitting light signals through the transparent frame part; at least one support component for attaching the at least one LED, wherein the support component has at least one passage for the at least one device cable of the device.

[0017] A kit is used to expand a device connection connector with an illuminated indicator. The kit comprises the following: an at least partially transparent, continuous frame part for arrangement around a wall opening in a housing wall of a device housing and for its fixation between a mounting flange of a mounting housing of the device connection connector and the housing wall; at least one LED for emitting light signals through the transparent frame part; at least one carrier component for fastening the at least one LED.

[0018] Here and in the following, the term "transparent" is to be understood in the sense of "translucent." Those skilled in the art will therefore understand that the transparent frame part is capable of transmitting visible light from the interior of the add-on housing / device to the outside, i.e., to the area surrounding the device and the device connection connector. The invention further has the advantage that the manual and / or automated assembly of the device connection connector with its illuminated indicator on a device housing is particularly simple.

[0019] The invention has the advantage that a light signal of the at least one LED is visible outside the device when the device connection connector is mounted.

[0020] A particularly great additional advantage of the invention is that an already existing, e.g., commercially available device connection connector, which does not yet have an illuminated display, can be retrofitted with an illuminated display in a particularly simple manner according to the aforementioned design.

[0021] A particularly significant advantage is that the aforementioned existing device connector does not need to be modified. Instead, it simply needs to be expanded with the aforementioned kit.

[0022] A further advantage of the invention is that the indicator light can signal more than two different states of the connector, for example, three, four, five, or even more. This can be achieved, for example, by allowing the indicator light to illuminate in different colors. Alternatively or additionally, flashing in different frequency patterns can also provide differentiation.

[0023] A further advantage is that the type of indicator, e.g., regarding the number of different states the indicator can represent, can be very flexibly adapted to the particular device to which the connector is attached and the specific requirements of that device. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims and the following description.

[0024] In an advantageous embodiment, the carrier component has a passage or at least one through-opening for the passage of at least one device cable of the device.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the frame part can have at least two through-holes for the passage of at least two fastening screws. This has the advantage that the shape of the frame part can be adapted to the shape of the add-on housing. Finally, the add-on housing can be screwed to the housing wall of the device housing with the fastening screws through its mounting flange, so that according to this embodiment, the fastening screws can also be passed through the frame part.

[0026] The carrier component can be designed as a circuit carrier or have a circuit carrier. This has the advantage that the carrier component can have conductor tracks for electrically conductive connection to the at least one LED, advantageously supplying the LEDs with electrical current.

[0027] In an advantageous embodiment, the device connection plug connector can have a plurality of connections in its connection area for connecting a plurality of device cables of the device. These can be, in particular, electrical connections and electrical device cables through which the device connection plug is capable of transmitting electrical energy and / or signals to and / or from the device, in particular an electrical device. In a preferred embodiment, the carrier component has a—in particular central—passage. This passage is particularly advantageous because it allows the passage of one or more device cables connected to the said connection(s).

[0028] In addition, through this - particularly central - passage, the support component can be designed as a continuous frame and can thus be arranged around the wall opening together with the transparent frame part.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, the support component can be arranged on the connection side of the transparent frame part. This is particularly advantageous because the support component can be fixed between the transparent frame part and the housing wall in a particularly simple and efficient manner when the device connector is installed.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the transparent frame part can have a circumferential inner recess at its opening for at least partially accommodating the support component. Thus, for example, said frame-shaped support component can also be held securely and without the occurrence of mechanical stress in or on the device connection connector and the housing wall.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the carrier component can also be a printed circuit board. This, too, can be secured to the device connection connector using the aforementioned fastening method, since the outer contour of the carrier component is ultimately important.

[0032] The advantage of a carrier component in the form of a printed circuit board is that this design is inexpensive, that it has conductor tracks for supplying power to at least one LED, and that it can also be easily capable of passing through the device cable(s) through one or more feedthroughs, for example in the form of simple through-openings, e.g. through-holes.

[0033] In addition, the plug contacts can be electrically connected to other tracks on the circuit board. This has the advantage that measurements, such as voltage measurements, can be performed.

[0034] For example, the circuit board can have a through-hole for each plug contact that is electrically connected to at least one of the other conductor tracks, into which the plug contact is plugged on the connection side and to which it is electrically connected.

[0035] In an advantageous embodiment, the transparent frame part can protrude beyond the housing flange. The transparent frame part can be wider than the connector housing.

[0036] In a preferred embodiment, the transparent frame part can be made of an elastic material as a sealing element. Alternatively, the transparent frame part can also be rigid, ideally considered rigid, and provided with a sealing ring on each side for sealing.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment, the device connection connector has several differently colored LEDs.

[0038] Example

[0039] An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail below. They show:

[0040] Fig. 1 shows a device connection connector with a carrier component mounted on the plug side; Fig. 2 shows the device connection connector with a carrier component mounted on the device side;

[0041] Fig. 3 the device connection plug with a widened transparent frame part;

[0042] Fig. 4 shows the device connection connector with a frame-shaped carrier component mounted on the plug-in side;

[0043] Fig. 5 the device connection connector, with plug contacts connected to through-holes of the carrier component.

[0044] Some of the figures contain simplified, schematic representations. Identical reference symbols are used for similar, but possibly not identical, elements. Different views of the same elements may be scaled differently. 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.

[0045] Figure 1 shows a device connection connector with an illuminated indicator mounted on a device housing wall 3. The device connection connector has a panel-mounted housing 8 with a mounting flange 81. The mounting flange 81 has at least two screw holes for attaching the device connection connector to a wall opening in the housing wall 3.

[0046] Furthermore, the device connection connector has at least two fastening screws 2 for passing through the screw holes of the mounting flange 81 for fastening the device connection connector to the housing wall 3. Furthermore, the device connection connector has at least one contact carrier 1 arranged in the mounting housing 8. A plug contact 9 (not shown here) is arranged in the contact carrier 1. This has a plug-in area for plugging into a mating plug contact of a mating connector and a connection area shown in Fig. 5 with at least one connection for connecting at least one device cable 4 of the device.

[0047] Furthermore, the device connection connector has an at least partially transparent, circumferential frame part 7 for arrangement around the wall opening and for its fixing between the mounting flange 81 of the mounting housing 8 and the housing wall 3 of the device housing.

[0048] In addition, the device connection connector has at least one LED (“Light Emitting Diode”) 5 for emitting light signals through the transparent frame part 7.

[0049] Furthermore, the device connection connector has a carrier component 6 for attaching the at least one LED 5. In the embodiment shown here, the carrier component 6 has two for the at least one device line 4 of the device. The carrier component 6 is designed here as a printed circuit board.

[0050] Fig. 2 shows a similar arrangement, with the difference that the carrier component 6 is arranged on the plug-in side (i.e. above in the drawing) of the housing wall. The transparent frame part 7 has an inner, connection-side recess into which the carrier component 6 engages. Thus, the carrier component 6 is at least partially received in the recess of the transparent frame part 7, i.e. at least a part of the carrier component 6 is arranged in the recess of the frame part 7. Fig. 3 shows an arrangement which essentially corresponds to that in Fig. 1, with the only difference that the transparent frame part is wider than the housing flange 81. This reinforces / improves the luminous effect / light output towards the outside.

[0051] Fig. 4 shows an arrangement in which the support component 6 has a central opening for the device cables 4 to pass through. The support component 6 is therefore also designed in the shape of a frame. In the present example, the support component is even completely accommodated in the recess of the transparent frame part and is therefore also arranged around the wall opening. Also shown here are several different LEDs which advantageously have different colors, i.e. can emit light of different colors, e.g. a green LED, a yellow LED and a red LED for green, yellow or red light, e.g. with a self-explanatory meaning based on the color code of a traffic light (“green” means “everything is OK”; “yellow” means “danger”; “red” means “there is a problem”). Of course, any other color code is also possible. These LEDs are electrically connected to conductor tracks of the support component 6 and are heated if necessary.supplied with electrical energy in this way, for example when they are to light up.

[0052] Fig. 5 shows an arrangement in which the plug contacts 9 protrude from the insulating body 1 on the connection side. Thus, only their connection area is visible in the drawing. This is guided through a so-called "through-hole", i.e. an electrically conductively coated through-hole, of the carrier component 6, which is designed here as a printed circuit board, and is thus electrically conductively connected, e.g. soldered, to other conductor tracks of this printed circuit board 6. Furthermore, an evaluation circuit can also be located on the printed circuit board 6. In this way, additional electrical variables, e.g. the voltage states of the plug contacts 9, e.g. electrical signals, can be evaluated and, if necessary, variables derived from them can be displayed. For example, in this way, a warning about a

[0053] An overvoltage is indicated by a yellow light from a yellow LED 5, or an existing overvoltage is indicated by a red light from a red LED 5, or similar. Although only one LED 5 is explicitly shown in this figure, those skilled in the art will understand that the elements and special features of the aforementioned embodiments can be combined with one another.

[0054] List of reference symbols 1 Insulating body

[0055] 2 fastening screws

[0056] 3 Housing wall

[0057] 4 Device cable

[0058] 5 LED 6 carrier component

[0059] 7 Transparent frame part

[0060] 8 mounting housings

[0061] 81 Mounting flange

[0062] 9 plug contact

Claims

Claims eteanschlussstecker, comprising: A panel-mounted housing (8) with a panel-mounted flange (81), the panel-mounted flange (81) having at least two screw holes for fastening the device connection plug-in connector to a wall opening in a housing wall (3) of a device; at least two fastening screws (2) for passing through the screw holes of the panel-mounted flange (81) for fastening the device connection plug-in connector to the housing wall (3); at least one contact carrier (1) arranged in the panel-mounted housing (8); at least one plug-in contact (9) arranged in the contact carrier (1), having a plug-in area for plugging into a mating plug-in contact of a mating plug-in connector and a connection area with at least one connection for connecting at least one device line (4) of the device;an at least partially transparent, continuous frame part (7) for arrangement around the wall opening, wherein the frame part (7) can be fixed between the mounting flange (81) of the mounting housing (8) and the housing wall (3) of the device housing; at least one LED (“light-emitting diode”) (5) for emitting light signals through the transparent frame part (7); at least one support component (6) for fastening the at least one LED (5).

2. Device connection connector according to claim 1, wherein the transparent frame part (7) has at least two through openings for the passage of the at least two fastening screws (2).

3. Device connection connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier component (6) consists of a circuit carrier.

4. Device connection connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier component (6) has conductor tracks for electrically conductive connection to the at least one LED (5).

5. Device connection connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the device connection connector has a plurality of connections at its connection area for connecting a plurality of device lines (4) of the device.

6. Device connection connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier component (6) has a passage and is thus designed as a circumferential frame for arrangement around the wall opening.

7. Device connection connector according to claim 6, wherein the carrier component (6) is arranged on the connection side on the transparent frame part (7) in order to be fixed between the transparent frame part (7) and the housing wall (3) in the installed state of the device connector.

8. Device connection connector according to one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the transparent frame part (7) has a circumferential inner recess at its passage for at least partially receiving the carrier component (6). Device connection plug connector according to claim 5, wherein the carrier component (6) is a printed circuit board. Device connection plug connector according to claim 9, wherein the printed circuit board (6) has at least one through-opening for the passage of a plurality of device lines (4). Device connection plug connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the plug contacts (9) are electrically conductively connected on the connection side to further conductor tracks of the printed circuit board (6). Device connection plug connector according to claim 11, wherein the printed circuit board has a through-plating for each plug contact (9) which is electrically conductively connected to at least one of the further conductor tracks, into which through-plating the plug contact (9) is plugged on the connection side and to which it is electrically conductively connected. Device connection plug connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the transparent frame part projects outwards beyond the housing flange.Device connection plug connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the transparent frame part is made of an elastic material as a sealing element. Device connection plug connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the device connection plug connector has a plurality of differently colored LEDs (5). Kit for expanding a device connection plug connector by an illuminated display, comprising an at least partially transparent, continuous frame part (7) for arrangement around a wall opening in a housing wall (3) of a device housing and for its Fixing between a mounting flange (81) of a mounting housing of the device connection plug connector and the housing wall (3); at least one LED (5) for emitting light signals through the transparent frame part (7); at least one carrier component (6) for fastening the at least one LED (5), wherein the carrier component (6) has a passage or at least one through-opening for the passage of the at least one device cable (4) of the device.

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