Plug connector insert for an electrical plug connector

Abstract

In order to reduce the effort required for assembling a plug connector insert for crimp contacts (2), its PE (Protective Earth) connecting element (1) is inserted into an insulating body (3) on the cable connection side and is then permanently fixed in place in the contact carrier by means of a retaining plate (4) which is snapped onto the insulating body (3) on the cable connection side.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] The invention is based on a connector insert for an electrical connector according to the preamble of independent claim 1.

[0003] Furthermore, the invention is based on an electrical connector comprising the connector insert according to claim 8 and a connector housing.

[0004] Furthermore, the invention is based on a method for assembling a connector insert according to claim 1.

[0005] Furthermore, the invention is based on a method for assembling an electrical connector according to claim 12.

[0006] Such connector inserts are used to insert into a metallic connector housing and electrically ground it, thus producing a connector that serves for plug-in electrical connection with a mating connector. Such a plug-in insert has a contact carrier that, for design reasons—particularly for injection molding reasons—is designed in two parts and can be formed, for example, from an insulating body and a retaining plate. Through the reversible plug-in connection of the connector with a mating connector, plug contacts of the connector are electrically connected to mating contacts of the mating connector, thus forming a plug contact pair, each consisting of a plug contact and a mating contact mated to it.On the cable connection side, an electrical cable with multiple electrical wires can be permanently connected to the connector and the mating connector. By mating the connector with the mating connector, the electrical wires connected to a cable connection area of ​​the respective plug contact and the respective mating contact of a plug contact pair are electrically connected to each other in pairs to transmit electrical signals and / or power between the two cables. Proper protective earthing of the metallic connector housing can also serve to electrically and / or magnetically shield the electrical signals within the connector.

[0007] State of the art

[0008] The document DE 10 2010 022 690 B4 discloses an electrical connector comprising a connector housing and an insulating body. At least one contact element and one ground connection contact element can be inserted into the insulating body and locked therein. Furthermore, it is disclosed that the ground connection contact element is designed as a crimp contact. For the grounding connection of the ground connection contact element to the connector housing, a laterally attachable contact plate is provided, which can be inserted and locked via lateral slots within a recess in the insulating body and, when inserted, is in electrically conductive contact with the ground connection contact element. The contact plate has a threaded bore in its base and can thus be electrically connected to the connector housing via a screw connection.The contact plate is designed as a U-shaped component such that the lateral flanks of the contact plate have guide arms and locking arms, wherein the guide arms lock onto an undercut of the insulating body, and wherein the locking arms engage in notches of the insulating body.

[0009] A disadvantage of this state-of-the-art technology is the high manufacturing and assembly costs of the connector, as the assembly of the contact plate requires a separate assembly step from a separate assembly direction, and its lateral insertion using the guide and locking arms, which are secured to undercuts and notches, requires a certain degree of skill. Such assembly must therefore be performed manually and cannot be automated—or at least not with reasonable effort.

[0010] The German Patent and Trademark Office has searched the following prior art in the priority application for the present application: DE 100 09 750 A1 , DE 202006 003204 U1 , WO 2022 / 171241 A1 and WO 2022 / 171242 A1.

[0011] Task

[0012] The object of the invention is to provide a design and an assembly method for a connector insert that allows the connector insert to be manufactured with the least possible assembly effort. In particular, the connector insert, and preferably also the entire connector, should be manufactured automatically.

[0013] The problem is solved by the respective subject matter of the independent claims.

[0014] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims and the following description.

[0015] A connector insert serves as a component of an electrical connector and is designed to be inserted into a metallic connector housing and for PE (“Protective Earth”) grounding of the same.

[0016] The connector insert features several one-piece plug contacts. Each plug contact has a plug-in area, a retaining collar, and a cable connection area separated from the plug-in area by the retaining collar. The cable connection area of ​​the plug contacts is designed as a crimp connection, meaning the plug contacts are crimp contacts.

[0017] One of these plug contacts is used on the cable connection side for connection to a PE (“Protective Earth”) cable and on the plug side for PE transfer to a mating connector, so that this plug contact is a PE contact.

[0018] The connector insert also features a separate, electrically conductive PE connecting element. This PE connecting element serves both to mechanically and electrically connect the PE contact and to electrically and mechanically contact the metal connector housing and to secure the connector insert in the metal connector housing. For this purpose, the PE connecting element has a cylindrical screw opening. This screw opening has an internal thread for screwing it onto the connector housing.

[0019] The connector insert also has a contact carrier. The contact carrier has an insulating body with a plug-in side and a cable connection side opposite the plug-in side. Furthermore, the connector insert has a retaining plate that can be snapped onto the insulating body on the cable connection side.

[0020] The holding plate has an insertion opening for each contact chamber for inserting the plug contact into the respective contact chamber.

[0021] The cable connection side and the plug-in side are connected via four perpendicularly arranged outer surfaces of the essentially cuboid-shaped insulating body. One of these outer surfaces is a PE outer surface. The insulating body has several contact chambers designed as through-holes, each accommodating a plug-in contact. The contact chambers are aligned in a plug-in direction parallel to the outer surfaces, thus connecting the cable connection side and the plug-in side of the insulating body.

[0022] One of the contact chambers is located on the PE outer surface and serves to accommodate the PE contact. This contact chamber is therefore a PE contact chamber.

[0023] The PE contact chamber is open to the PE outer surface. This creates a PE opening in the PE outer surface. This PE opening enables electrical and mechanical contact between the PE connecting element and the connector housing.

[0024] The insulating body and the retaining plate are designed to hold the plug contacts to be inserted and / or already inserted in the contact carrier when rusted together. This can be achieved, for example, by means of locking arms that are molded onto the retaining plate and extend into the contact chambers.

[0025] When assembling the connector insert, the PE connecting element can first be inserted into the PE contact chamber of the insulating body on the cable connection side, held in a form-fitting manner and initially movable in the plug-in direction, and can then be finally fixed in the contact carrier by subsequent rusting of the retaining plate on the insulating body.

[0026] The connector insert can be assembled according to a procedure with the following steps:

[0027] A. Inserting the PE connecting element into the PE contact chamber on the cable connection side; B. Fixing the PE connecting element in the PE contact chamber by tightening the retaining plate on the insulating body on the cable connection side;

[0028] C. Inserting the plug contacts, including the PE contact, from the cable connection side through one of the insertion openings of the holding plate into the respective contact chambers, whereby the PE contact is inserted into the PE contact chamber;

[0029] D. Rusting of the plug contacts in their respective contact chambers, whereby the PE contact rusts in the PE contact chamber and also makes electrical and mechanical contact with the PE connecting element;

[0030] The process steps are largely carried out in the specified order A; B; C and D, whereby the order of process steps C and D in relation to one another is not precisely defined because, ultimately, several plug contacts are inserted into their respective contact chambers and the specified order can only be meaningfully determined for each individual plug contact.

[0031] An electrical connector has a metallic connector housing and a connector insert of the aforementioned type inserted therein, wherein the connector insert is screwed to the connector housing with its PE connecting element by means of a screw.

[0032] The connector can be manufactured according to the above-mentioned method with the said process steps A, B, C and D and with the following subsequent steps:

[0033] E. Inserting the plug insert into the connector housing;

[0034] F. Screwing the connector insert securely to the connector housing using its cylindrical screw opening and the said screw, thereby electrically connecting the PE connecting element to the connector housing. In particular, process step F is particularly advantageous because the PE connecting element, in particular its base surface, can be pulled flat against the inside of the connector housing by the screw connection and with high pressure, thus ensuring a particularly high-quality electrically conductive connection. In a preferred embodiment, the electrically conductive connection of the PE connecting element to the connector housing can be achieved in process step F.This occurs because the base surface of the PE connecting element is pulled against the connector housing from the inside by the aforementioned fixing screw, while the PE connecting element, with its contact tabs, simultaneously makes electrical contact with the PE contact on both sides. This creates a particularly reliable and highly conductive electrical connection between the PE contact and the connector housing.

[0035] The fact that the plug contacts are crimp contacts is, in addition to the high stability and excellent electrical conductivity that crimp connections generally have, a particular advantage because this means that the plug contacts can be inserted into the contact carrier of the plug connector insert in a so-called "pre-assembled" state - i.e. already connected to their respective electrical cable. Crimping therefore takes place before the assembly of the connector insert as described above begins. A particular advantage is that pre-assembled contacts can be used, i.e. for example, a cable with several electrical cables and plug contacts already crimped to them in high and consistent guaranteed quality can be purchased before assembly and used during assembly.A particular advantage is that the PE contact is also a crimp contact. This also simplifies quality assurance and assembly, as only plug contacts of the same connection type need to be used in the same way—i.e., crimp contacts.

[0036] Another particular advantage is that both the PE connecting element and the plug contacts are inserted into the insulating body / contact carrier exclusively from the cable connection side. Furthermore, the retaining plate is also locked to the insulating body from the cable connection side, so that only one mounting direction exists for the connector insert. This significantly simplifies the assembly of the connector insert and also improves its automation potential.

[0037] The connector insert has the advantage of being particularly compact, meaning it has small geometric dimensions relative to the cable cross-sections used. This is made possible by the compact PE connecting element and the one-piece, particularly compact crimp contacts. As a result, the clearance and creepage distances are small relative to the available space, allowing comparatively high electrical voltages to be applied to the plug contacts. This connector insert and the connector equipped with it thus possess both a particularly high current carrying capacity and a particularly high dielectric strength.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment, the retaining plate has a locking arm extending into the respective contact chamber to prevent rusting of each plug contact inserted into the contact carrier. This allows a plug contact inserted into the contact carrier on the cable connection side through the respective insertion opening of the retaining plate to rust in the respective contact chamber on the respective locking arm with its retaining collar. In a preferred development of the invention, the PE connecting element has at least one plug-side fixing pin for stabilizing engagement in a retaining pocket of the insulating body arranged at a plug-side end of the PE contact chamber.

[0039] This is particularly advantageous in order to keep the PE connecting element particularly stable in the contact chamber, especially at a time when the holding plate is not yet attached to the insulating body.

[0040] In a preferred embodiment, the PE connecting element is held in the PE contact chamber of the insulating body in the uncorroded state of the retaining plate, allowing it to move in the insertion direction. This advantageously allows the PE connecting element to be inserted into the contact carrier from the cable connection direction, moved into its final position, and finally secured by means of the retaining plate.

[0041] In a further advantageous embodiment, the PE connecting element can be formed inexpensively and inexpensively as a stamped and bent part from a spring-elastic sheet metal part.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment, the PE connecting element can mechanically and electrically contact the PE contact on both sides. For this purpose, the PE connecting element can have two contact tabs of the PE contact that point in the plugging direction and are free-standing at the ends.

[0043] In a further advantageous embodiment, the PE connecting element can have two side walls and a base area as a contact surface. The said screw opening can then be arranged in the base area. When screwed to the metallic connector housing, the base area of ​​the PE connecting element can be pulled against the connector housing by the screwing force and can thus make electrical contact with the connector housing over a large area, which ensures a particularly good and secure electrical connection. The two side walls can be angled at right angles to the base area of ​​the PE element, so that the PE connecting element has a substantially egg-shaped cross-section. Each of the two contact tabs can be punched out of one of these side walls and bent inwards in order to make mechanical and electrical contact on both sides with the said plug contact inserted along these contact tabs on the cable connection side.

[0044] In a preferred embodiment, the PE connecting element can have at least one outwardly directed sliding runner on each of its two side walls for engaging behind a respective sliding edge of the insulating body. This serves to facilitate the insertion of the PE connecting element into the insulating body and to hold the PE connecting element in the insulating body so that it can move in the plug-in direction until the retaining plate is snapped into place. At the same time, these features can be advantageously implemented with very little manufacturing effort.

[0045] Each of these two sliding edges of the insulating body can be part of one of two guide slots aligned parallel to the PE outer surface. These two guide slots can be located on two opposite sides of the PE contact chamber. The two guide slots can begin on the cable connection side and extend from there in the plug-in direction. Each of the sliding skids of the PE connecting element inserted into the insulating body can thus engage in one of the guide slots to initially hold the PE connecting element in the insulating body so that it can be moved in the plug-in direction.

[0046] In a preferred embodiment, the retaining plate has locking means for locking onto counter-locking means of the insulating body. For example, the retaining plate can have locking tabs with locking windows as locking means, which can be locked onto counter-locking means of the insulating body designed as locking formations, e.g., as ramp-shaped locking hooks, each with a sliding slope and a holding surface. The anti-rust means can be arranged on two mutually opposite outer surfaces of the insulating body. These are preferably the two mutually opposite outer surfaces, neither of which is the PE outer surface. This is particularly advantageous because otherwise the PE recess would impede or prevent the presence of the anti-rust means.

[0047] Alternatively or additionally, grooved nails, which are well known to those skilled in the art, can also be used to attach the retaining plate to the contact carrier.

[0048] In a further preferred embodiment, the metallic connector housing has a contact ridge on its inside. The connector housing can have a cylindrical through-opening in the contact ridge for passing the screw to be screwed into the screw opening of the PE connecting element. The inside contact ridge of the connector housing can thus partially engage the PE opening of the contact carrier in order to be pressed against the contact surface of the PE connecting element by means of the screw connection, thus mechanically and electrically connecting the connector housing to the PE connecting element. Furthermore, the contact ridge can be used as polarization protection to ensure the correct alignment of the connector insert to the connector housing.

[0049] In a preferred embodiment, the retaining plate can have at least one retaining web, which, when the retaining plate is rusted, abuts the PE connecting element inserted into the PE contact chamber on the cable connection side to permanently fix the PE connecting element in the contact carrier. In particular, the retaining plate can have two retaining webs, each of which abuts one of the two side walls of the PE connecting element when the retaining plate is rusted. These two retaining webs can be arranged on either side of the locking arm, which serves to fix the PE contact and is therefore referred to as the PE locking arm.

[0050] Example

[0051] An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail below. They show:

[0052] Fig. 1a, b a PE connecting element from two different views;

[0053] Fig. 2a, b the PE connecting element with a PE contact contacted on both sides from two different views;

[0054] Fig. 3 shows a contact carrier formed from an insulating body and a retaining plate which can be locked thereto;

[0055] Fig. 4a, b the insulating body with the PE connecting element to be inserted into it from two different views;

[0056] Fig. 5 shows the connector insert, comprising the insulating body, the PE connecting element, the holding plate and the PE contact, in an exploded view;

[0057] Fig. 6 the connector housing with the inserted and screwed connector insert without the PE contact in a sectional view.

[0058] 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.

[0059] Fig. 1a and 1b show a PE connecting element 1 of a connector insert from two different views.

[0060] The PE connecting element 1 is designed as a one-piece and can be manufactured inexpensively and easily as a stamped and bent part from a spring-elastic sheet metal part.

[0061] The PE connecting element 1 has two side walls 12 and a base surface 11 connecting these two side walls 12 as a contact surface for electrically and mechanically contacting a metallic connector housing 5 shown in Fig. 6. A screw opening 10 is arranged in the base surface 11. The screw opening 10 has an internal thread (not explicitly shown here) for screwing and fastening in the connector housing 5 by means of a screw 6 shown in Fig. 6.

[0062] The two side walls 12 of the PE connecting element 1 are angled at right angles to the base surface 11, so that the PE connecting element 1 has a substantially U-shaped cross-section in the area of ​​the base surface 11. A contact tab 122 is punched out of each of these side walls 12 and bent slightly inward.

[0063] The PE connecting element 1 has on each of its two side walls 12 an outwardly directed sliding runner 124 for engaging behind a sliding edge 314 of an insulating body 3 shown in Fig. 3.

[0064] Fig. 2a and 2b show the PE connecting element 1 with a PE contact 2 arranged therein. It is clear that the two contact tabs 122 of the PE connecting element 1 make mechanical - and thus also electrical - contact with the PE contact 2 on both sides. The PE contact 2 has a plug-in area 21, a retaining collar 23 and a cable connection area 22 separated from the plug-in area 21 by the retaining collar 23. The cable connection area 22 of the PE contact 2 is designed as a crimp connection and thus has a crimp opening 20 for inserting and crimping an earthing wire (not shown), so that the PE contact 2 is a crimp contact.

[0065] Thus, the PE connecting element 1 is designed to electrically connect the PE contact 2, and thus the said earthing line connected to the PE contact 2 by crimping, to the connector housing 5.

[0066] The PE connecting element 1 further has a plug-side fixing pin 126 on each of its two side walls 12.

[0067] Fig. 3 shows an insulating body 3 with a view of its cable connection side and a holding plate 4 which can be latched to the insulating body 3 on the cable connection side. Opposite the cable connection side, the insulating body 3 has a plug-in side which is optically concealed in the drawing by the insulating body 3 itself and is therefore not visible.

[0068] The cable connection side and the plug-in side of the insulating body 3 are connected to one another via four outer surfaces 34, 31 of the essentially cuboid-shaped insulating body 3 arranged perpendicular to one another, one of these outer surfaces 34, 31 being a PE outer surface 31.

[0069] The insulating body 3 has several contact chambers 32 designed as through-openings, each accommodating one of the plug contacts. The contact chambers 32 and the additional plug contacts (not shown here) can be of different sizes. Essentially, the additional plug contacts—apart from their somewhat different sizes—are constructed in a similar way to the PE contact 2 shown above. PE contact 2 is therefore one of these plug contacts.

[0070] The contact chambers 32 are aligned in a plug-in direction parallel to the outer surfaces 31, 34 and thus connect the cable connection side and the plug-in side of the insulating body 3 to one another.

[0071] One of the contact chambers 32 is arranged on the PE outer surface 31 of the insulating body 3 and serves to accommodate the PE contact, so that this contact chamber is a PE contact chamber 321.

[0072] The PE contact chamber 321 is open toward the PE outer surface 31 and thus has a PE opening 310 arranged in the PE outer surface 31. This PE opening 310 enables the electrical and mechanical contacting of the PE connecting element 1 with the connector housing 5.

[0073] The retaining plate 4 has locking means, explained in more detail below, for locking onto the insulating body 3. The retaining plate 4 can also have grooved nails. Furthermore, the retaining plate 4 has an insertion opening 40, 410 for each contact chamber 32, which is arranged on the respective contact chamber 32 for inserting the plug contact into the respective contact chamber 32, 321 when the retaining plate 4 is in the rusted state. For the PE contact 2, for example, the retaining plate has a PE insertion opening 410, which is arranged on the PE contact chamber 321.

[0074] The retaining plate 4 has a locking arm 43 for each plug contact inserted into the contact carrier, including the PE contact 2, to prevent rusting. If the retaining plate 4 on the insulating body 3 has rusted, the respective locking arm 43 projects into the respective contact chamber 32. As a result, a plug contact inserted into the contact carrier on the cable connection side through the respective insertion opening 40 of the retaining plate 4 can lock in the respective contact chamber 32 on the respective locking arm 43 with its retaining collar 23. In particular, the PE contact 2 can rust on its PE locking arm 432 of the retaining plate 4 in the PE contact chamber 321.

[0075] As a result, the contact carrier, consisting of the insulating body 3 and the retaining plate 4, is designed to hold the plug contacts to be inserted and / or already inserted in the contact carrier. In other words, the retaining plate 4 and the insulating body 3, when rusted together, are capable of holding the plug contacts to be inserted and / or already inserted, in particular the PE contact 2, in the insulating body 3.

[0076] Furthermore, in the lower area of ​​the PE contact chamber 321 in this illustration, two lateral guide slots 3140 can be seen, at the upper end of each of which there is a sliding edge 314.

[0077] The sliding runners 124 of the inserted PE connecting element 1 engage in these guide slots 3140 and slide along the sliding edge 314 as the PE connecting element 1 slides deeper into the contact chamber. This prevents the PE connecting element 1 from falling out of the insulating body s through the PE opening 310.

[0078] In addition, a retaining pocket 3260 is arranged on each side of the plug-side end section of the PE contact chamber 321, which is formed by a retaining molding 326 shown above it in the drawing. The fixing pins 126 of the PE connecting element 1, which has been inserted up to the plug-side stop, engage in this retaining pocket 3260 for stabilization.

[0079] On both sides of the PE locking arm 432, two

[0080] Retaining webs 42 are arranged pointing in the plugging direction. These serve to permanently fix the PE connecting element 1, which has been inserted into the PE contact chamber 321 on the cable connection side, in the PE contact chamber 321 by the retaining webs 42 striking the side walls 12 of the PE connecting element 1 when the retaining plate 4 is secured to the insulating body 3.

[0081] Figs. 4 a and 4 b show the insulating body 3 with the PE connecting element 1 to be inserted from two different perspectives. It is particularly clearly visible how the sliding blocks 124 engage in the guide slots 3140 and the fixing pins 126 engage in the retaining pockets 3260 as soon as the PE connecting element 1 is inserted into the PE contact chamber 321. The sliding blocks 124 thus serve to facilitate the insertion of the PE connecting element 1 into the insulating body 3 and to hold the PE connecting element 1 movable in the insertion direction in the insulating body 3 until the retaining plate 4 rusts. At the same time, the sliding blocks 124 and the guide slots 3140 can be implemented with very little additional manufacturing effort.

[0082] Furthermore, the PE contact opening 321 has a contact pin opening 3210 for receiving the plug-in area 21 of the PE contact 2.

[0083] Fig. 5 shows once again the above-mentioned parts of the connector insert in an exploded view, namely the insulating body 3, the PE connecting element 1, the holding plate 4 and the PE contact 2, whereby the PE contact 2 also represents the other plug contacts of the connector insert, which are not explicitly shown here for reasons of clarity.

[0084] From this perspective, the locking means of the holding plate 4, namely the locking tabs 44 with their locking windows 440, are also clearly visible. These serve to rust on the anti-rust means of the insulating body 3, designed as locking formations 344. These anti-rust means are designed as ramp-shaped locking hooks 344, each with a sliding slope and a holding surface, and are arranged on two mutually parallel outer surfaces 34 of the insulating body 3, which are connected to one another via the PE outer surface 31. However, only one of these two outer surfaces 34 with the locking hook 344 formed thereon can be seen in the drawing, because the other is concealed by the insulating body 3.

[0085] This illustration also clearly shows the assembly sequence, in which first the PE connecting element 1 is pushed into the contact chamber 321 of the insulating body 3, then the holding plate 4 is snapped onto the insulating body 3, whereby the PE connecting element 1 is finally fixed in the PE contact chamber 321 of the insulating body 3, and finally the PE contact 2 and the further plug contacts (not shown) with also not shown, connected to them, namely crimped, electrical lines are inserted through the insertion openings 40 of the holding plate 4 into the contact carrier and locked in their respective contact chambers 32.

[0086] Finally, as already indicated, Fig. 6 shows a connector comprising a metallic connector housing 5 with a housing wall 51 and the connector insert in a cross-section through the PE connecting element 1. For reasons of clarity, the PE contact 2 is not shown in order to provide a clear view of the other components.

[0087] For this purpose, the screw 6 is shown here for the first time, which is screwed from the outside through the connector housing 5 through a threadless through-opening in the housing wall 51 of the connector housing 5 into the screw opening 10 of the PE connecting element 1. The screw 6 therefore pulls the base surface 11 of the PE connecting element 1 against the housing wall 51 of the connector housing 5 with the appropriate screwing force from the inside, so that the PE connecting element 1 makes mechanical and electrical contact with the connector housing 5 reliably and over a large area. It is also clear that the PE contact 2 (not shown here), when inserted into the PE contact chamber 321 - coming from the right in the drawing - is secured with its retaining collar 23 to the PE locking arm 432 of the retaining plate 4 and is also mechanically and electrically contacted on both sides with the two contact tabs 122 of the PE connecting element 1.The arrangement shown is therefore capable of reliably electrically connecting an earthing cable crimped to the PE contact 2 both for earthing transfer to a mating connector and to the metallic connector housing 5 with only minimal assembly effort.

[0088] List of reference symbols

[0089] 1 PE connecting element

[0090] 10 screw opening

[0091] 11 Floor area

[0092] 12 side walls

[0093] 122 contact tabs

[0094] 124 skids

[0095] 126 fixing pins

[0096] 2 PE contact / plug contact / crimp contact

[0097] 20 crimp opening

[0098] 21 Plug-in area

[0099] 22 Cable connection area / crimp connection

[0100] 23 retaining collar

[0101] 3 insulating bodies

[0102] 31 PE outer surface

[0103] 310 PE opening

[0104] 314 sliding edge

[0105] 3140 guide slot

[0106] 32 contact chambers

[0107] 321 P E-Contact chamber

[0108] 3210 P E-contact pin opening

[0109] 326 retaining molding

[0110] 3260 holding pocket

[0111] 34 exterior surface

[0112] 344 Locking formation / locking hook 4 retaining plate

[0113] 40 insertion openings

[0114] 410 P E-insertion opening

[0115] 42 Holding bars 43 Locking arms

[0116] 432 P E-locking arm

[0117] 44 locking tab

[0118] 440 locking window 5 connector housing

[0119] 51 Housing wall

[0120] 6 screw

Claims

Claims Connector insert for an electrical connector, wherein the connector insert is designed for insertion into a metallic connector housing (5) and for PE ("Protective Earth") earthing thereof and comprises the following: a plurality of one-piece plug contacts (2), each having a plug-in area (21), a retaining collar (23) and a cable connection area (22) separated from the plug-in area (21) by the retaining collar (23), wherein the cable connection area (22) of the plug contacts (2) is designed as a crimp connection, so that the plug contacts (2) are crimp contacts, o wherein one of these plug contacts (2) serves on the cable connection side for connection to a PE line and on the plug-in side for PE transfer to a mating connector, so that this plug contact (2) is a PE ("Protective Earth") contact, an electrically conductive, separate PE connecting element (1),on the one hand for mechanically and electrically conductively contacting the PE contact (2) and on the other hand for electrically and mechanically contacting the metallic connector housing (5) by means of a cylindrical screw opening (10) belonging to the PE connecting element (1), having an internal thread, for screwing and fastening the connector insert in the connector housing (5), a contact carrier which has an insulating body (3) with a plug-in side and a plug-in side opposite the plug-in side, Cable connection side and a retaining plate (4) which can be latched to the insulating body (3) on the cable connection side, o wherein the cable connection side and the plug-in side are connected to one another via four outer surfaces (31, 34) of the essentially cuboid-shaped insulating body (3) arranged perpendicular to one another, one of these outer surfaces being a PE outer surface (31), o wherein the insulating body (3) has a plurality of contact chambers (32, 321) designed as through-openings for receiving one of the plug-in contacts (2), ■ wherein the contact chambers (32,321) are aligned in a plug-in direction parallel to the outer surfaces (31,34) and thus connect the cable connection side and the plug-in side of the insulating body (3) to one another, ■ wherein one of the contact chambers (321) is arranged on the PE outer surface (31) and serves to receive the PE contact (2), so that this contact chamber is a PE contact chamber (321), wherein • the PE contact chamber (321) is open towards the PE outer surface (31), so that a PE opening (310) is formed in the PE outer surface (31) to enable the electrical and mechanical contacting of the PE connecting element (1) with the connector housing (5), o wherein the holding plate (4) ■ locking means (44,440) for locking on the insulating body (3) and further ■ for each contact chamber (32,321) has an insertion opening (40,410) for inserting the plug contact (2) into the respective contact chamber (32,321); o wherein the insulating body (3) and the holding plate (4) are designed to hold the plug contacts (2) to be inserted and / or already inserted in the contact carrier in the rusted state, characterized in that the PE connecting element (1 ) can first be pushed into the PE contact chamber (321 ) of the insulating body (3) on the cable connection side during assembly of the plug-in connector insert, can be held therein in a form-fitting manner and can initially be moved in the plug-in direction, and can finally be fixed in the contact carrier by subsequent rusting of the holding plate (4) on the insulating body (3).Plug connector insert according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holding plate (4) has a locking tab (44) projecting into the respective contact chamber (32, 321) for rusting each plug contact (2) inserted into the contact carrier, against which the inserted plug contact (2) rusts with its holding collar (23), and in that the holding plate (4) further has at least one holding web (42) which, in the rusted state of the holding plate (4), abuts on the cable connection side against the PE connecting element (1) inserted into the PE contact chamber (321) in order to finally fix the PE connecting element (1) in the contact carrier. Plug connector insert according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the PE connecting element (1) has at least one plug-side fixing pin (126) for stabilizing engagement in a holding pocket (3260) of the insulating body (3) arranged at a plug-side end of the PE contact chamber (321).Connector insert according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the PE connecting element (1) in. in the unlocked state of the holding plate (4), it is held in the PE contact chamber (321) of the insulating body (3) so as to be movable in the plug-in direction. Connector insert according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the PE connecting element (1) is formed as a stamped and bent part from a spring-elastic sheet metal part. Connector insert according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the PE connecting element (1) makes mechanical and electrical contact with the PE contact (2) on both sides. Connector insert according to claim 6, characterized in that the PE connecting element (1) has two contact tabs (122) pointing in the plug-in direction and free-standing at the ends for making electrical and mechanical contact with the PE contact (2) on both sides.Connector insert according to one of claims 6 to 7, wherein the PE connecting element (1) has two side walls (12) and a base surface (11) as a contact surface, wherein the said screw opening (10) is arranged in the base surface (11), and wherein the two side walls (12) are angled at right angles to the base surface (11), so that the PE connecting element (1) has a substantially U-shaped cross-section, wherein each of the two contact tabs (122) is punched out of one of these side walls (12) and bent slightly inward in order to mechanically and electrically conductively contact the PE contact (2) inserted on the cable connection side along these contact tabs (122) and rusted in the PE contact chamber (321) on both sides. Connector insert according to claim 8, characterized in that the PE connecting element (1) has at least one outwardly directed sliding skid on each of its two side walls (12). (124) for engaging behind a respective sliding edge (314) of the insulating body (3) in order to facilitate the insertion of the PE connecting element (1) into the insulating body (3) and to hold the PE connecting element (1) in the insulating body (3). Connector insert according to claim 9, characterized in that each of the said sliding edges (314) is a component of one of two guide slots (3140) aligned parallel to the PE outer surface (31), arranged on the insulating body side on two opposite sides of the PE contact chamber (321), beginning on the cable connection side and extending from there in the plug-in direction, wherein each of the sliding skids (124) of the PE connecting element (1) inserted into the insulating body (3) engages in one of the guide slots (3140).Connector insert according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the holding plate (4) has two holding webs (42), of which in the rusted state of the holding plate (4) one each abuts against one of the two side walls (12) of the PE connecting element (1). Electrical connector, comprising a metallic connector housing (5) and a connector insert according to one of claims 8 to 11 inserted therein as well as a screw (6), characterized in that the connector insert with its PE connecting element (1) is screwed to the connector housing (5) by means of the screw (6), as a result of which its base surface (11) is pulled against the connector housing (5) from the inside. Electrical connector according to claim 12, characterized in that the metallic connector housing (5) has a contact web on the inside, wherein the. The connector housing (5) has a cylindrical through-opening in the contact web for passing through the screw (6) to be screwed into the screw opening (10) of the PE connecting element (1). The inner contact web of the connector housing (5) partially engages the PE opening (310) of the insulating body (3) in order to be pressed against the base surface (11) of the PE connecting element (1) by means of said screw connection, thus mechanically and electrically connecting the connector housing (5) to the PE connecting element (1). A method for assembling a connector insert according to one of claims 1 to 11, comprising the following steps: A. Inserting the PE connecting element (1) into the PE contact chamber (321) on the cable connection side; B. Fixing the PE connecting element (1) in the PE contact chamber (321) by adjusting the holding plate (4) on the cable connection side on the insulating body (3); C. Inserting the plug contacts (2), including the PE contact (2), through one of the insertion openings (40, 410) of the holding plate (4) into the respective contact chambers (32, 321), wherein the PE contact (2) is inserted into the PE contact chamber (321); D. Rusting of the plug contacts (2) in their respective contact chambers (32, 321), wherein the PE contact (2) rusts in the PE contact chamber (321) and also electrically and mechanically contacts the PE connecting element (1). A method for assembling an electrical connector according to one of claims 12 to 13, comprising the following steps: A. Inserting the PE connecting element (1) into the PE contact chamber (321) on the cable connection side; B. Fixing the PE connecting element (1) in the PE contact chamber (321) by rusting the holding plate (4) on the cable connection side to the insulating body (3); C. Inserting the plug contacts (2), including the PE contact (2), through one of the insertion openings (40) of the holding plate (4) into the respective contact chambers (32, 321), wherein the PE contact (2) is inserted into the PE contact chamber (321); D. Ver sten the plug contacts (2) in their respective contact chambers (32,321), wherein the PE contact (2) rusts in the PE contact chamber (321) and also electrically and mechanically contacts the PE connecting element (1); E. Inserting the plug insert into the connector housing (5); F. Screwing the connector insert to the connector housing (5) by means of its cylindrical screw opening (10) and the screw (6), thereby electrically connecting the PE connecting element (1) to the connector housing (5). Method according to claim 15, wherein the electrically conductive connection of the PE connecting element (1) to the connector housing (5) in method step F. takes place in that the base surface (11) of the PE connecting element (1) is pulled against the connector housing (5) from the inside by said screwing, while the PE connecting element (1) simultaneously makes electrical contact with the PE contact (2) on both sides with its contact tabs (122).

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