Shielded plug connector with spring sleeve

Abstract

The invention relates to a plug connector, arranged at one end of a shielded cable (10), wherein the plug connector has a housing made from a metal material, wherein this housing is electrically connected to a shielding (11) of the shielded cable (10), for looping through the shielding (11) starting from the cable (10) via the plug connector, which can be plugged together with a correspondingly designed mating plug connector, wherein a spring sleeve (12) is provided, which is pushed under the shielding (11) of the cable (10) and thereby brings the outer surface of the spring sleeve (13) at least partially, in particular fully, into electrical contact with the shielding (11) of the cable (10).

Description

[0001] Shielded connector with spring sleeve

[0002] Description

[0003] The invention relates to a shielded connector according to the features of the preamble of patent claim 1.

[0004] It is known that connectors are arranged at the end of a shielded cable, wherein the connector has a housing made of a metallic material, wherein this housing is electrically connected to the shielding of the cable in order to loop the shielding through from the cable via the connector, which can be mated with a correspondingly designed mating connector.

[0005] Various arrangements have already been disclosed in the prior art for electrically connecting the cable's mating portion to the connector's housing. In one arrangement, a Pflitsch spring is placed over the outer surface of the exposed cable shielding, which is electrically connected concentrically to the cable's shielding. This Pflitsch spring rests concentrically on the outside, i.e., with its outer surface, against the inner contour of the housing, for example, in the form of a knurled nut.

[0006] The invention is based on the object of improving such a connection of the shielding of the cable to a metallic housing of the connector.

[0007] This problem is solved by the features of patent claim 1.

[0008] According to the invention, a spring sleeve is provided which is pushed under the shielding, in particular under a shielding braid or under a shielding foil of the cable. This means that the outer surface of the spring sleeve is at least partially, in particular completely, electrically contacted with the shielding, preferably the shielding braid, of the cable. The inner contour of the spring sleeve comes into contact with a sheath of at least one electrical conductor of the cable. If necessary, the sheathed conductor or several individual sheathed conductors can be surrounded by an additional sheath, which is accommodated inside the spring sleeve.

[0009] The spring sleeve forms a one-piece, continuous component without recesses, slots, or the like. In its simplest embodiment, the spring sleeve is a tubular, cylindrical structure, preferably with a round cross-section, although other cross-sections (e.g., oval, square, rectangular, and the like) can also be considered. The spring sleeve can, however, also be additionally provided with at least one recess and / or at least one slot in order to achieve a spring or clamping effect when the spring sleeve has been pushed under the shield and thus simultaneously over the at least one electrical conductor or its sheath. If there is only one slot, this extends axially from one end to the other of the spring sleeve, which widens slightly when pushed on.

[0010] After the spring sleeve has been arranged on the cable in the manner described above and contacted with the cable shielding (by contact, optionally alternatively or additionally by pressing, electrical bonding, soldering, welding, or the like), a shielding housing made of a metallic material is arranged at least over the axial length of the spring sleeve, but optionally also over one or both of its end directions. The shielding housing can be formed in one piece, but preferably in two pieces, in particular two identically designed halves.

[0011] Another housing is arranged above the shielding housing, which can form the outer housing of the connector. This outer housing, also made of a metallic material, is electrically connected to the shielding housing to loop the shielding through from the cable to a mating connector. The additional housing can be designed as a screw connection, meaning it can be rotated relative to the spring sleeve (but cannot be moved axially relative to the spring sleeve or the cable) and can be screwed to a correspondingly designed mating connector after the connector and mating connector have been mated.

[0012] Within the further housing, a contact carrier, preferably made of an electrically non-conductive material, is arranged, which receives at least one contact of an electrical conductor of the line, usually several contacts (if the line comprises several electrical conductors).

[0013] After the additional housing (screw connection) has been arranged, it is possible to fill the interior, particularly inside and around the contact carrier, with an electrically non-conductive material, in particular by overmolding the internal cavities with such a material. In one embodiment, the overmolding is carried out in such a way that it encompasses an end part of the additional housing (screw connection) as well as the spring sleeve up to an end region of the cable.

[0014] Such an embodiment is shown in the figure.

[0015] The left half of the figure shows an angled connector, while the right half of the figure shows a straight connector, both assembled and manufactured according to the invention.

[0016] In the right half of the figure, the finished straight connector is shown at the bottom right, while its individual parts and assembly steps can be seen in the two upper images.

[0017] In the left half of the figure, the finished angled connector is shown at the bottom left, while its individual parts and assembly steps can be seen in the two upper images.

[0018] The respective finished connector is arranged at the end of a cable 10. The cable 10 is a shielded cable which has a shield 11 under its outer sheath, in particular a braided shield, a shielding foil or the like. Below this, inside the cable 10 there is at least one electrical conductor, usually several electrical conductors, each having its own outer sheath. The cable 10 is, for example, a two- or four-wire twisted pair cable. According to the invention, a spring sleeve 12 is inserted between the outer sheath of the at least one electrical conductor and the inner contour of the shield 11. Alternatively, the spring sleeve 12 can also be pushed over the one electrical conductor or over the several electrical conductors and the shield 11 is then arranged over a partial area or over the entire axial extent of the spring sleeve 12.In any case, the spring sleeve 12 according to the invention prevents the shielding 11, in particular the braided shield, from being dissolved or having to be reshaped towards the outer jacket of the cable 10, as this would impair the shielding properties. The shielding 11 is surrounded by a shielding housing 13, just like the end(s) of the electrical conductors, at the end of which a contact 14 is arranged. The respective contact 14 is arranged in a contact carrier 15 made of an electrically non-conductive material, in particular a plastic suitable for the intended application of the connector. A shielding sleeve 16 made of an electrically conductive material is arranged coaxially above the contact carrier 15 and, after its assembly, is in operative connection with the shielding housing 13.A screw connection 17 is also arranged coaxially over a portion of this shielding sleeve 16 and is rotatably mounted relative to the stationary shielding sleeve 16. Using this screw connection 17, the finished connector is mated and screwed together with a mating connector (not shown in the figure) to prevent unplugging.

[0019] The figure shows that the shielding housing 13 consists of two half-shells. These two half-shells are largely identical, except for pins on one half-shell and corresponding recesses in the other half-shell for receiving the pins. The shielding housing 13 can also be formed in one piece or consist of more than two parts. One end of it is arranged over the exposed area of ​​the shielding 11, thereby establishing electrical contact between this shielding 11 and the shielding housing 13, which is also made of an electrically conductive material. The spring sleeve 12 inserted between the outer sheathing of the individual electrical conductors and the inner contour of the shielding 11 also serves to stabilize the contact areas between the shielding 11 and the shielding housing 13, so that effective electrical contact is realized.The end of contact 10 pointing towards cable 10 is moved in the direction of the cable 10 so that the contacts 14 are inserted into corresponding contact chambers of the contact carrier 15. This also results in electrical contact between one end of the shielding housing 13 and the other end of the shielding sleeve 16 facing it. The end of this assembly step can be seen in the right-hand illustration of the straight connector in the middle illustration. This ensures that the shielding 11 of the cable 10 is passed through to the shielding sleeve 16 or the screw connection 17. This also ensures that the shielding 11 of the connector is looped through to the mating connector when these two connectors have been plugged together. This then creates continuous shielding.

[0020] In the lower right-hand illustration of the right half of the figure, it can still be seen that a press ring 18 has been arranged adjacent to the screw connection 17, pointing in the direction of the cable 10. This press ring 18 holds the two half-shells of the shielding housing 13 together and ensures that the screw connection 17 is seated when it is rotated relative to the press ring 18. In addition, an overmolding 19 can, but does not have to, be provided over the contact carrier 15 and, above all, over the shielding housing 13, extending to the end region of the cable 10. Such an overmolding 19 protects the finished connector from external influences and can be manufactured very easily and quickly. As an alternative to the overmolding 19, a separate outer housing could also be considered. This could, for example, again consist of two half-shells (identical or largely identical) or even of more than two parts.The above description, which concerns the straight version of the connector according to the invention, applies almost analogously to the angled version of the connector according to the invention, which is shown in the left-hand part of the figure. Due to the angled version, only the shielding housing 13 (or the two half-shells forming the shielding housing 13) is different in this case and is designed as shown. Furthermore, the screw connection 17 in the straight version of the connector has knurling, whereas the screw connection 17 in the angled connector has sections that are angled relative to one another. Thus, the screw connection 17 of the straight connector can be operated by hand, whereas the screw connection 17 of the angled connector can be operated with a tool. The reverse version or other designs are also conceivable for operating the screw connection 17.

[0021] The principle of the invention is described in more detail below in a few key words.

[0022] - The braided shield 11 of the cable is cut to the appropriate length, but not further modified.

[0023] - Spring sleeve 12 is pushed under the shielding braid 11 of the cable 10.

[0024] In the current state of the art, the shielding braid is usually brushed, i.e. the braid is dissolved.

[0025] In most cases it is even brushed back over the jacket and then brushed forward again for connection in the later manufacturing process.

[0026] Shield housing 13, preferably two-part, mounted externally on the shield braid. Shield housing 13 with anti-twist protection for contact carrier assembly 15 / shield sleeve 16.

[0027] Shield housing 13 preferably not filled with plastic on the inside. Shield housing 13 with pins or holes, joined, for example by a

[0028] Riveting is planned. Other joining methods are possible.

[0029] Overmolding 19 of the assembly.

[0030] Arranging a press ring 18.

[0031] List of reference symbols

[0032] 10. Management

[0033] 11 . Shielding (especially braided shielding)

[0034] 12. Spring sleeve

[0035] 13. Shield housing

[0036] 14. Contacts

[0037] 15. Contact carrier

[0038] 16. Shielding sleeve

[0039] 17. Screw connection

[0040] 18. Press ring

[0041] 19. Overmolding

Claims

Patent claims 1. A connector arranged at one end of a shielded cable (10), the connector comprising a housing made of a metallic material, said housing being electrically connected to a shield (11) of the shielded cable (10) in order to loop the shield (11) through from the cable (10) via the connector, which can be plugged together with a correspondingly designed mating connector, characterized in that a spring sleeve (12) is provided which is pushed under the shield (11) of the cable (10), and as a result the outer surface of the spring sleeve (13) is at least partially, in particular completely, electrically contacted with the shield (11) of the cable (10).

2. Connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring sleeve (12) forms a one-piece continuous component without recesses, slots or the like:

3. Connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring sleeve (12) is provided with at least one recess and / or at least one slot.

4. Connector according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that a shielding housing (13) made of a metallic material is arranged at least partially over the axial length of the spring sleeve (12), optionally over one or both of its end directions.

5. Connector according to claim 4, characterized in that the shielding housing (13) is designed in one part or in two parts, in particular comprising two halves of the same design or substantially of the same design.

6. Connector according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that a further housing, in particular a shielding sleeve (16), is arranged above the shielding housing (13), which forms the outer housing of the connector, wherein the outer housing made of a metallic material is electrically contacted with the shielding housing (13).

7. Connector according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the shield (11) is a shielding braid or a shielding foil.

8. Connector according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that within the further housing, in particular within the shielding sleeve (16), a contact carrier (15), preferably made of an electrically non-conductive material, is arranged, which receives at least one contact (14) of an electrical conductor of the line (10).

9. Connector according to claim 6, 7 or 8, characterized in that the interior of the further housing, in particular inside and around the contact carrier (15), is filled with an electrically non-conductive material.

10. Connector according to one of claims 4 to 9, characterized in that a press ring (18) is arranged above the shielding housing (13).

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