Shielded plug connector with earthing contact and method for assembly of same

Abstract

In order to reduce the push-in force of an earthing contact (2) into a contact carrier (3) of a shielded plug connector during assembly of said plug connector, and nevertheless produce a user-friendly earthing connection between the earthing contact (2) and a metal plug connector housing (4), the invention proposes an electrically conductive connection element (1) which automatically functions according to the principle of a rocker when the contact carrier (3) is inserted into the plug connector housing (4).

Description

[0001] Description

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

[0003] Furthermore, the invention is based on a method for assembling the shielded connector according to claim 1.

[0004] Such connectors are required to provide grounding, in particular a so-called “PE” (Protective Earth) connection, to a mating connector and also to ground their own connector housing for safety reasons and shielding purposes.

[0005] State of the art

[0006] The publication WO 2007 / 019918 A1 discloses a plug with a housing designed as a sleeve and an insulating body arranged therein, which holds elongated contacts. The plug has an electrically conductive retaining spring for a grounding contact, which has an axially continuous and, in particular, sleeve-shaped plug-in part for the grounding contact, which, in the use position, is arranged within a hole or bore in the insulating body. The plug-in part of the retaining spring fits through a lateral opening in the insulating body. The bore, together with this lateral opening, forms an undercut for the somewhat elastically compressible plug-in part.On the outside of the plug-in part there is a spring arm which is also arranged on the outside of the insulating body in the position of use, which spring arm contacts the inside of the sleeve and has an inwardly directed projection arranged on its free end which engages in a depression or recess of the earthing contact and fixes the earthing contact in the axial direction.

[0007] The disadvantage of this design is that when assembling the connector, an undesirably high insertion force must be applied when inserting the earthing contact into the contact carrier in order to achieve a sufficiently high pressure force between the earthing contact and the retaining spring for a secure earthing connection.

[0008] The German Patent and Trademark Office has searched the following prior art in the priority application for the present application: DE 103 23614 A1 , DE 102016213 952 A1 , JP H08-6389 Y2 and JP H08-6390 Y2.

[0009] Task

[0010] The object of the invention is to simplify the assembly of a shielded connector with a grounding contact. In particular, the insertion force of the grounding contact into a contact carrier of the connector is to be reduced while still enabling a user-friendly grounding connection between the grounding contact and a metallic connector housing without any additional manual steps and without the need for additional parts.

[0011] The problem is solved by the subject matter of independent claim 1.

[0012] A connector comprises the following: a metallic connector housing; a contact carrier made of an electrically insulating material which can be inserted into the connector housing in a plugging direction for mounting the connector, the contact carrier having the following: o a cable connection side; o a contact surface parallel to the cable connection side,

[0013] Plug-in side; o a side wall running in the plug-in direction and connecting the cable connection side with the plug-in side; o several through-openings running in the plug-in direction and connecting the cable connection side with the plug-in side as contact chambers for accommodating plug-in contacts;

[0014] ■ wherein one of the contact chambers is a grounding contact chamber, which is characterized in that it has a lateral connection opening to said side wall of the contact carrier; wherein the connector further comprises the following: for each of the contact chambers, a metallic plug contact arranged in the respective contact chamber; o wherein each of these plug contacts has a plug-in area at a plug-side end and a cable connection area at a cable connection-side end opposite the plug-side end, and o wherein the plug contact arranged in the grounding contact chamber is a grounding contact, a connecting element for electrically connecting the grounding contact to the connector housing, o wherein a part of the connecting element is arranged in the connection opening of the grounding contact chamber,o and wherein the connecting element has a lever arm at a first end and a contact section at a second end, which is opposite the first end, wherein the connecting element, the plug contact, the contact carrier and the connector housing are jointly designed to mechanically and thus also electrically connect the connecting element to the connector housing at its lever arm during assembly of the connector by inserting the contact carrier into the connector housing and to pivot the lever arm inwards, whereby the contact section moves outwards according to the functional principle of a rocker, and thereby mechanically and thus also electrically connects the connecting element to the plug contact at its contact section in the assembled state of the connector.

[0015] A method for assembling such a connector includes the following steps:

[0016] At least partially inserting the connecting element into the grounding contact chamber, wherein a part of the lever arm and a part of the contact section are arranged in the connection opening and an end part of the lever arm protrudes from the side wall of the contact carrier;

[0017] Inserting the plug contacts into the contact chambers of the contact carrier, with part of the contact section engaging behind the earthing contact;

[0018] Inserting the contact carrier into the connector housing, whereby the lever arm of the connecting element moves inwards, namely into the contact carrier, whereby its contact section moves outwards according to the functional principle of the rocker, and thereby mechanically and electrically connects the connecting element at its contact section to the earthing contact.

[0019] In an advantageous development, the contact carrier can have at least one lateral retaining projection extending into the connection opening, by means of which the connecting element is captively and pivotably held at least partially in the grounding contact chamber—and thus also on the contact carrier—near the pivot point P. During the first-mentioned method step of at least partially inserting the connecting element into the grounding contact chamber, the connecting element can thus be locked behind this retaining projection. This also advantageously simplifies assembly and requires only minimal additional design effort.

[0020] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims and the following description.

[0021] The invention has the advantage that the grounding contact can be inserted into the grounding contact chamber with little force. This is possible because the grounding contact does not yet have to exert the pressure required for secure electrical contact, combined with the corresponding frictional force, against the contact section of the connecting element during this insertion process. Only when the contact carrier is inserted into the connector housing - which is necessary anyway - is this pressure force automatically realized via a significantly longer insertion path and a particularly elastic lever arm. In this case, the part of the contact section of the connecting element in the form of the rocker that engages behind the grounding contact is pressed against the grounding contact only in a radial direction, without further forces, e.g. the aforementioned frictional force, occurring between the grounding contact and the connecting element.As a result, the connecting element connects the grounding contact to the connector housing in an electrically conductive manner without additional effort and, advantageously, with minimal force required.

[0022] This means that neither additional components nor any additional process steps are required.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, a part of the lever arm and a

[0024] Part of the contact section of the connecting element is arranged in the connection opening of the grounding contact chamber. Another part of the contact section is not located in the connection opening, but is located in the grounding contact chamber and engages behind the grounding contact. One end part of the lever arm protrudes from the side wall of the contact carrier—at least in the assembled state in which the connecting element is in the contact carrier but the contact carrier is not yet inserted into the connector housing—in order to be pushed inward when the contact carrier is inserted into the connector housing.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the lever arm of the connecting element undergoes elastic deformation when the contact carrier is inserted into the connector housing. In the assembled state, this deformation exerts a spring force that mechanically presses the contact section of the connecting element against the grounding contact—amplified according to the lever principle—and thereby, with a corresponding contact force, mechanically and securely connects the connecting element to the grounding contact in an electrically conductive manner.

[0026] In other words, in this preferred development, the lever arm of the connecting element undergoes an elastic deformation during the said assembly of the connector, more precisely during the insertion of the contact carrier into the metallic connector housing, and thereby applies the spring force in the assembled state, which presses the contact section of the connecting element mechanically against the earthing contact by the lever law and thereby electrically connects the connecting element to the earthing contact.

[0027] One advantage of this design is that the elasticity of the entire lever arm contributes to the aforementioned contact pressure. Due to the length of the lever arm, the deformation remains very low in the elastic range from a materials engineering perspective, meaning only very minimal elastic deformation is required, which virtually eliminates plastic deformation of the fastener in the assembled state, even over a long period of time. Furthermore, the desired contact pressure can be adjusted very precisely using the length of the lever arm.

[0028] In a further advantageous embodiment, the connecting element is made of resilient sheet metal and is constructed as a single piece. Thus, the connecting element is a sheet metal part, in particular a so-called PE ("Protective Earth") sheet.

[0029] In a further advantageous embodiment, the connecting element is designed inexpensively as a stamped and bent part.

[0030] In a further advantageous embodiment, the lever arm of the connecting element has an elongated connecting web and the contact section is essentially annular, i.e. in the form of an open or closed ring, e.g. in the form of an eyelet and / or a hollow cylinder with or without a slot, in order to encompass the grounding contact at least in part or at least to engage behind the grounding contact. The encompassing contact section then has an inner diameter which at least slightly exceeds the diameter of the plug-in area. In addition, the contact section has an outer diameter which is at least slightly smaller than the diameter of the grounding contact receptacle. This serves to ensure that the contact section in the grounding contact receptacle has the necessary play to advantageously be pressed elastically against the grounding contact as a second lever arm, namely as a load arm.

[0031] In a preferred embodiment, the lever arm has a widened portion at its end, adjacent to the connecting web, as a contact area for particularly good electrical contact with the connector housing. The increased contact area also advantageously improves the electrical conductivity of this electrical connection.

[0032] In a further advantageous embodiment, the lever arm has a - particularly slight - S-shape, i.e., it is S-shaped. This means, in particular, that the connecting web, starting from its end region, is initially curved inwards and, starting at a turning point, outwards again. Each of these two curvatures can be more than 5° and less than 40°; in particular, more than 10° and less than 35°, preferably more than 14° and less than 30°, particularly preferably more than 18° and less than 26°, i.e., for example, between 20° and 24°, i.e., for example, between 22° and 21.5°.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment, the connecting element and the plug contact have a common contact point when assembled, against which the connecting element rests during its lever movement. This is advantageous because it creates a further electrically conductive connection between these elements. Furthermore, the metallic material of these parts ensures extremely low friction.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, the connecting element has a contact section at this contact point, which is arranged between the lever arm and the contact section. This is particularly advantageous because it allows the contact section to act as a load arm.

[0035] In a further advantageous embodiment, the contact carrier is cylindrical, and the connector housing has a hollow cylindrical basic shape. As a result, the connector is advantageously designed as a circular connector. Embodiment

[0036] An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and explained in more detail below. They show:

[0037] Fig. 1a, b a connecting element from two different views;

[0038] Fig. 1c an earthing contact with the connecting element;

[0039] Fig. 1d a contact carrier equipped with the earthing contact, the connecting element and further plug contacts;

[0040] Fig. 2a the contact carrier with the connector housing;

[0041] Fig. 2b, c the contact carrier with the earthing contact and the connecting element without and with actuating force;

[0042] Fig. 2d the connecting element with the angle of curvature a of its lever arm.

[0043] 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.

[0044] Figs. 1a and 1b show a connecting element 1 formed as a stamped and bent part made of resilient sheet metal. In an alternative embodiment, which is hereby expressly disclosed as belonging to the invention, the connecting element 1 could also be formed from a different material, for example, from an electrically conductive plastic and / or from a plastic coated with an electrically conductive material.

[0045] The connecting element 1 has a slightly S-shaped lever arm 11. This S-shape will be discussed in more detail later in Fig. 2d. The lever arm 11 has a widened portion at its end as a contact area 114. Adjoining this, it has an elongated connecting web 111. Furthermore, the connecting element 1 has a contact section 113, via which the connecting web 111 is connected to a contact section 12 of the connecting element 1.

[0046] The contact section 12 is essentially annular in design in order to, as shown in Fig. 1c, at least partially encompass an earthing contact 2 at its collar 212 and thereby engage the earthing contact 2 from below with a rear grip 122 belonging to the contact section 12 in the drawing. In this embodiment, the contact section 12 is opened at its rear grip 122 by a slot (not shown in more detail). This is because, as already mentioned, it is designed as a stamped and bent part and is therefore easier to manufacture. Furthermore, depending on the shape of the earthing contact 2, the slot may facilitate the insertion of the earthing contact 2. Thus, variants of the connecting element 1 are also possible and hereby disclosed as belonging to the invention, whose contact section 12 does not have a slot, i.e., is designed to be closed.

[0047] The one-piece earthing contact 2 has a plug-in area 211 shown on the right in the drawing and a cable connection area 213 shown on the left, which is designed as a crimp connection and serves to connect an earthing cable not shown.

[0048] Between the grounding contact 2 and the contact section 113 of the connecting element 1, a contact point P is formed, around which the lever arm 11 of the connecting element 1 is pivoted relative to the grounding contact 2 when it is actuated downwards in the drawing. It is easy to imagine that by actuating the lever arm 11 downwards, the part of the contact section 12 shown below, which engages behind the grounding contact 2, is pulled from bottom to top against the grounding contact 2. This relationship is even clearer in Fig. 1d. Shown—together with the aforementioned components—is a contact carrier 3. The contact carrier 3 has a cable connection side 31 and a plug-in side 32 parallel to the cable connection side. Furthermore, the contact carrier 3 has a side wall 33 running in the plug-in direction and connecting the cable connection side 31 to the plug-in side 32.Since the contact carrier 3 is essentially cylindrical, it has only one circumferential side wall 33. Of course, a further design, such as a cuboidal one, would also be conceivable, which is hereby also expressly disclosed as belonging to the invention. In this case, the corresponding contact carrier would additionally have, for example, three additional side walls, thus a total of four.

[0049] The contact carrier 3 has several through openings extending in the plug-in direction and connecting the cable connection side 31 to the plug-in side 32 as contact chambers 30, 30' for receiving plug contacts 2, 2', namely a grounding contact chamber 30 for receiving the grounding contact 2 and further contact chambers 30' for receiving additional plug contacts 2'. These additional plug contacts 2' do not have to be different from the grounding plug contact 2, and can therefore be designed identically. The distinction between the grounding plug contact 2 and the additional plug contacts 2' is therefore primarily to be understood in functional terms.

[0050] However, the earthing contact chamber 30 also differs somewhat from the other contact chambers 30' in that the earthing contact chamber 30 has a lateral connection opening 330 to the aforementioned side wall 33 of the contact carrier 3. The connecting element 1 is partially arranged in this connection opening 330, namely with a part of its connecting web 111, its contact section 113, and the upper part of its contact section 12 in the drawing. The contact section 12 encompasses the earthing contact 2 arranged in the earthing chamber 30 within the earthing contact chamber 30 and engages behind the earthing contact 2 with the rear grip 122 of its contact section 12 shown below.

[0051] Fig. 2a shows how the cylindrical contact carrier 3, coming from the left in the drawing, i.e., from the cable connection side, is pushed into a housing opening 40 of a substantially hollow-cylindrical connector housing 4. From the previous illustrations, it is readily apparent that the contacting area 114 of the connecting element 1, on the one hand, makes electrical contact with the connector housing 4. On the other hand, this also moves the lever arm 11 downward in the drawing, i.e., radially inward.

[0052] Figs. 2b and 2c show the process in which the actuating force Fi generated by the aforementioned insertion of the contact carrier 3 into the connector housing 4, directed downwards in the drawing and thus radially inwards, acts on the lever arm 11. The connecting element 1 then rotates in the form of a rocker around the contact point P. As a result, the contact section 12 is lifted and, in the drawing, presses with its rear grip 122 against the grounding contact 2 from below, i.e. radially outwards, with the pressure force F2 increased by the lever.

[0053] In addition, the lever arm 11 of the connecting element 1 undergoes elastic deformation when the contact carrier 3 is inserted into the connector housing 4 and thus applies the spring force due to this deformation, which presses the contact section 1 of the connecting element 1 in accordance with the law of the lever with the consequently greater, upward - i.e. radially outward - directed pressure force F2 as a contact force against the grounding contact 2 and thereby mechanically and safely connects the connecting element 1 to the grounding contact 2. In the assembled state shown, the connecting element 1 is held captively and also pivotably at least partially in the grounding contact chamber 30 - and on the contact carrier 3 - by a holding formation 301 projecting laterally into the connection opening 330 near the pivot point P.

[0054] Thus, during its preliminary assembly, the grounding contact 2 can be inserted into the grounding contact chamber 30 of the contact carrier 3 with extremely little force, namely comparable to the force required for the additional plug contacts 2' and additional contact chambers 30'. Only by installing the contact carrier 3 into the connector housing 4 is the secure electrical contact between the grounding contact 2 and the connector housing 4 established via the connecting element 1, which can be easily maintained over a long period of time.

[0055] Fig. 2d shows the S-shape of the lever arm 11 of the connecting element 1 in more detail. Starting from the inflection point W, the lever arm 11 is curved slightly downward, i.e., inward, towards the first end of the connecting element 1 shown on the left in the drawing, and slightly upward, i.e., outward, towards the contact section 12 shown on the right. Both curves form the angle α, whereby the angle α in this embodiment lies between 20° and 22° in the unactuated state.

[0056] Although various aspects or features of the invention are shown in combination in the figures, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art—unless otherwise stated—that the illustrated and discussed combinations are not the only possible ones. In particular, corresponding units or feature complexes from different embodiments can be interchanged.

[0057] I Connecting element

[0058] II Lever arm

[0059] III Connecting bridge

[0060] 113 Annex section

[0061] 114 Contact area

[0062] 12 Contact section

[0063] 122 rear grip

[0064] 2, 2' earthing contact, plug contacts

[0065] 211 plug-in area

[0066] 212 collar

[0067] 213 Cable connection area, crimp connection

[0068] 3 contact carriers

[0069] 30, 30' earthing contact chamber, contact chambers

[0070] 301 Holding molding

[0071] 31 Cable connection side

[0072] 32 plug-in side

[0073] 33 Side wall

[0074] 330 connection opening

[0075] 4 connector housings

[0076] 40 Housing opening

[0077] P investment point

[0078] W Turning point

[0079] Fi actuating force, spring force

[0080] F2Pressure force, contact force

Claims

Claims 1 . A connector comprising a metallic connector housing (4); a contact carrier (3) made of an electrically insulating material which can be inserted into the connector housing (4) in a plug-in direction for mounting the connector, the contact carrier (3) having the following: o a cable connection side (31); o a plug-in side (32) lying parallel and opposite the cable connection side (31); o a side end wall (33) running in the plug-in direction and connecting the cable connection side (31) to the plug-in side (32); o a plurality of through openings running in the plug-in direction and connecting the cable connection side (31) to the plug-in side (32) as contact chambers (30, 30') for receiving plug-in contacts (2, 2'); ■ wherein one of the contact chambers (30, 30') is a grounding contact chamber (30), which is characterized in that it has a lateral connection opening (330) to the said side wall (33) of the contact carrier (3); wherein the connector further comprises the following: for each of the contact chambers (30, 30'), a metallic plug contact (2, 2') arranged in the respective contact chamber (30, 30'); o wherein each of these plug contacts (2, 2') has a plug-in area (211) at a plug-side end and a cable connection-side end opposite the plug-side end has a cable connection area (213), and o wherein the one of the plug contacts (2, 2') which is arranged in the grounding contact chamber (30) is a grounding contact (2), a connecting element (1) for electrically conductively connecting the grounding contact (2) to the plug connector housing (4), o wherein a part (113) of the connecting element (1) is arranged in the connection opening (330) of the grounding contact chamber (30), o and wherein the connecting element (1) has a lever arm (11) at a first end and a contact section (12) at a second end, which is opposite the first end, wherein the connecting element (1), the grounding contact (2), the contact carrier (3) and the plug connector housing (4) are jointly designed toto mechanically and thus also electrically connect the connecting element (1) to the connector housing (4) during assembly of the connector by inserting the contact carrier (3) into the connector housing (4) at its lever arm (11) and to pivot the lever arm (11) inwards, whereby the contact section (12) moves outwards according to the functional principle of a rocker, and thereby mechanically and thus also electrically connects the connecting element (1) at its contact section (12) to the earthing contact (2).

2. Connector according to claim 1, wherein a part of the lever arm (11) and a part of the contact section (12) of the connecting element (1) are arranged in the connection opening (330) of the grounding contact chamber (30), wherein a further part of the contact section (12) is not arranged in the connection opening, but in the grounding contact chamber (30) and there Earthing contact (2) engages behind, and wherein an end part of the lever arm (11) protrudes from the side wall (33) of the contact carrier (3) - at least in the assembled state in which the connecting element (1) is inserted in the contact carrier (3), but the contact carrier (3) is not yet inserted into the connector housing (4).

3. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lever arm (11) of the connecting element (1) undergoes an elastic deformation when the contact carrier (3) is inserted into the connector housing (4) and, in the assembled state, applies a spring force (Fi) as a result of this deformation, which presses the contact section (12) of the connecting element (1) against the earthing contact (2) with a pressure force (F2) in accordance with the law of the lever and thereby connects the connecting element (1) mechanically and electrically conductively to the earthing contact (2).

4. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting element (1) consists of spring-elastic sheet metal and is designed in one piece.

5. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting element (1) is designed as a stamped and bent part.

6. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lever arm (11) of the connecting element (1) has an elongated connecting web (111) and the contact section (12) is substantially annular in order to encompass the earthing contact (2) at least in part or at least to engage behind it.

7. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lever arm (11) has a widening at its end region as a contacting region (114) for particularly good electrical contacting of the connector housing (4).

8. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lever arm (11) is S-shaped.

9. Connector according to claim 8, wherein the lever arm (11) in its assembled state is curved slightly inwards towards the first end of the connecting element (1) and slightly outwards towards the contact section (12).

10. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the connecting element (1) and the earthing contact (2) in the assembled state have a common contact point (P) on which the connecting element (1) is supported during its lever movement.

11. Connector according to claim 10, wherein the connecting element (1) has a contact section (113) at the contact point (P), which is arranged between the lever arm (11) and the contact section (12).

12. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact carrier (3) is cylindrical and the connector housing (4) has a hollow cylindrical basic shape.

13. A method for assembling a connector according to any one of the preceding claims, the method comprising the following steps: At least partially inserting the connecting element (1 ) into the earthing contact chamber (30), wherein a part of the lever arm (11 ) and a part of the contact section (12) are in the connecting opening (330) and an end part of the lever arm (11) protrudes from the side wall (33) of the contact carrier (3); Inserting the plug contacts (2, 2') into the contact chambers (30, 30') of the contact carrier (3), wherein a part of the contact section (12) engages behind the earthing contact (2); Inserting the contact carrier (3) into the connector housing (4), whereby the lever arm (11) of the connecting element (1) moves inwards, namely into the contact carrier (3), and thereby its contact section (12) moves outwards according to the functional principle of the rocker, and thereby mechanically and electrically connects the connecting element (1) at its contact section (12) to the earthing contact (2).

14. Method according to claim 13, wherein the lever arm (11) of the connecting element (1) undergoes an elastic deformation during said assembly and, in the assembled state, applies the spring force due to this deformation, which presses the contact section (12) of the connecting element (1) mechanically against the earthing contact (2) in an increased manner by the lever law and thereby electrically connects the connecting element (1) to the earthing contact (2).

Images