Plug connector having a latching sleeve with an optional retraction aid and an optional cpa

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement comprising a plug connector (10), which has a contact carrier (11) comprising at least one contact chamber, wherein a contact partner is arranged in the contact chamber, which is arranged at one end of an electrical conductor of a line, wherein the contact carrier (11) is arranged at least partially within a housing, wherein a mating plug connector is further provided, in which the plug connector (10) can be inserted to form a plug connection, wherein the plug connector (10) has a latching sleeve (14) which can be fitted (mounted) from the plug-in face (13) of the plug connector (10) and yet prevents the contact carrier (11) from being pressed out of the housing.

Description

[0001] Connector with locking sleeve with optional insertion aid and optional CPÄ

[0002] Description

[0003] The invention relates to an arrangement with a plug connector having a contact carrier with at least one contact chamber, wherein a contact partner is arranged in the contact chamber, which contact partner is arranged at one end of an electrical conductor of a line, wherein the contact carrier is arranged at least partially within a housing, wherein a mating connector is also provided, into which the plug connector can be inserted to form a plug connection, according to the features of the preamble of patent claim 1.

[0004] Typically, a housing (also referred to as a protective collar) is mounted from above (i.e., along the longitudinal axis of the connector), with the upper opening of the housing being smaller than the contact carrier, which has contact chambers for accommodating one contact of the connector. This secures the contact carrier after insertion into the housing and prevents it from being pushed out of the protective collar when mating with a corresponding mating connector.

[0005] If the contact carrier is to be overmolded, the protective collar must be mounted afterwards, so the cable(s) are already present and make this difficult or even impossible.

[0006] A known embodiment is shown in Figure 2 (prior art).

[0007] Shown is a connector 20 in exploded view.

[0008] The connector 20 has a contact carrier 21 with at least one contact chamber (here, for example, with two contact chambers), into each of which a contact partner, which is arranged at one end of an electrical conductor of a line, is inserted (both not shown here).

[0009] Also present is a protective collar (also referred to as housing 22), designed as a separate component from which at least one line is led (not shown). The contact carrier 21 is arranged at least partially, preferably completely, within the housing 22 and secured there, for example by means of a snap-in connection between the contact carrier 21 and the housing 22.

[0010] Furthermore, a seal 23 (in particular designed as a lip seal) is arranged between the contact carrier 21 and the housing 22 in order to realize the required longitudinal watertightness.

[0011] The reference number 24 designates a mounting direction of the housing 22 (protective collar) up to a stop on the contact carrier 21, wherein, as already explained above, fixing is effected by locking.

[0012] The invention is therefore based on the object of improving such an arrangement, in particular its connectors, with regard to their manufacture, assembly, and handling. Specifically, it involves the development of an overmolded, sealed, multi-pin connector with a maximum insertion force of, for example, 50N (N = Newton). Furthermore, various cable exits (angles at which a cable exits the connector, for example, 90° to 180°) must be feasible.

[0013] This problem is solved by the features of patent claim 1.

[0014] According to the invention, the connector has a locking sleeve which can be fitted (mounted) by the plug face of the connector and yet prevents the contact carrier from being pushed out of the housing.

[0015] In the prior art, as described and illustrated above, during assembly (fitting) of the contact carrier in the housing, the contact carrier may be pushed out of the housing.

[0016] For this reason, a locking sleeve was developed, which is optionally equipped with a pull-in aid and an optional CPA. This locking sleeve can be easily fitted subsequently from below and still prevents the partially overmolded contact carrier from being pushed out. This assembly process not only simplifies the production of the connector but also allows for multiple, particularly opposing, cable exit directions.

[0017] In a further development of the invention, it is provided that the housing is formed as an overmolding at least partially around the contact carrier. Configuring the housing as an overmolding enables optimal adaptation of the outer geometry of the contact carrier to the inner geometry of the housing and the inner geometry of the locking sleeve. Furthermore, it can be manufactured quickly, cost-effectively, and in large quantities. In a further development of the invention, it is provided that the overmolding surrounds the end region of at least one line that leads out of the contact carrier. This advantageously allows the direction of the line exiting the overmolded housing to be freely selected.

[0018] In a further development of the invention, it is provided that the connector has a pulling aid. The pulling aid on the locking sleeve, which triggers the optional CPA in particular when fully plugged in, ensures that the plugging force falls below a predeterminable value, in particular that the plugging force is <= 50N.

[0019] In a further development of the invention, it is provided that the insertion aid is designed as a slider. By means of a pushing movement during assembly or a pulling movement during disassembly, the plugging together or disconnecting of the plug connection is thus made easier, whereby this insertion aid can be used optimally in an elongated but flat available installation space or operating space.

[0020] In a further development of the invention, it is provided that the pulling aid is designed as a lever. By means of a rotary movement during assembly or a reverse rotary movement during disassembly, the plugging together or disconnecting of the plug connection is made easier, whereby this pulling aid can optimally utilize a short installation space or operating space that is higher than a flat installation space.

[0021] In a further development of the invention, the insertion aid is provided with an ergonomic handle for its operation. This allows the insertion aid to be easily operated by a technician, both during the plugging process and during the removal process of the connector from the mating connector. This applies to both the design of the insertion aid as a slider and as a lever.

[0022] In a further development of the invention, the plug connection, in particular the connector, comprises a securing element to prevent accidental unplugging. An optional securing element (so-called CPA, Connection Position Assurance) to secure the plug connection against accidental unplugging, which is preferably assigned to the connector, not only ensures that the connector is properly and completely plugged into the mating connector, thus establishing a plug connection, but also simultaneously locks the insertion aid. Once the CPA is finally activated, the insertion aid can no longer be moved, and thus the plug connection cannot be released.

[0023] To unlock the connector, the optional CPA must be opened so that the insertion aid can be moved and the connector can be released. The optional ergonomic handle contour allows for easy gripping and movement (pulling or pivoting) of the insertion aid, thus unlocking the connector.

[0024] Explanations:

[0025] Insertion force is the force that must be applied to insert the connector as intended into a mating connector, which, when plugged in, forms a plug connection with the connector (so-called flying plug connection when the connector and mating connector are each arranged at the end of a cable).

[0026] The mating connector can, for example, also be located at one end of a cable. Alternatively, it can be part of a sensor, actuator, electronic device, or the like (so-called component connector).

[0027] An embodiment, one according to the prior art and one according to the invention, is shown in Figures 1 and 2.

[0028] Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a connector 10, which, in a partial view, comprises a contact carrier 11 and an overmolding 12 (partially surrounding the contact carrier 11) as the housing. In this embodiment, the overmolding 12 is designed such that two wires (here, a thicker and a thinner wire) emerge from the housing, more precisely from the overmolding 12. Two wires of the same diameter can also be used, as can just one wire or more than two wires. This means that the overmolding 12 advantageously allows the wire outlets from the housing of the connector 10 to be freely selected.

[0029] Reference numeral 13 designates a mating face of the contact carrier 11. Furthermore, according to the invention, a locking sleeve 14 is provided, which is guided in an assembly direction 15 toward the mating face 13 of the contact carrier 11. Optionally, the locking sleeve 14, together with the mating face 13 of the contact carrier 11, can have an insertion aid (e.g., designed as a tongue-and-groove system) so that, after the mating process, the contact carrier 11 is correctly positioned and rests in the locking sleeve 14 in its final position. In this position, a permanent, but optionally also detachable, connection is advantageously created. Such a connection can, for example, be designed as a snap-in connection.

[0030] To facilitate the plugging process, i.e., the insertion of the connector 10 into its mating connector, a pulling aid 16 is provided. In the right-hand illustration of Figure 1, this pulling aid 16 is designed as a slider. This slider has an ergonomic handle 17 for easy operation of the pulling aid 16. The pulling aid 16 is guided with its two legs in rails protruding from the locking sleeve 14 and is therefore linearly movable relative to the locking sleeve 14. The two legs of the pulling aid 16 have obliquely running, elongated recesses into which corresponding projections, for example protruding knobs, of a plug base 19, which is a component of the mating connector, engage.This inclined position of the recess of the insertion aid 16 and the corresponding arrangement of the corresponding projections on the plug-in base 19 significantly facilitates the insertion of the connector 10 via its locking sleeve 14 with the insertion aid 16. In particular, the insertion forces are significantly reduced.

[0031] After the mating process is complete, i.e., when the connector 10 is fully and correctly positioned in the socket 19 of the mating connector, a locking element 18 (also referred to as a CPA) may, but does not have to, be used. This locking element 18 prevents the connector 10 from being moved out of the socket 19 after the mating process has been completed. This is only possible after the locking element 18 has been moved in the opposite direction from its locking position to its release position.

[0032] In the upper left illustration of Figure 1, the insertion aid 16 is again shown as a linearly actuated slider, whereby it can be seen here that the plug connector 10 has been fully inserted into the plug-in base 19 according to the right illustration of Figure 1, with the aid of the insertion aid 16 designed as a slider.

[0033] The lower left illustration of Figure 1 shows that the insertion aid 16 is designed as a lever that is actuated by pivoting. This pivoting action thus pulls the connector 10 into the plug socket 19 by means of its locking sleeve 14. The reverse pivoting action can assist in unplugging. The securing element 18 can also be used in this configuration, but it is not required.

[0034] List of reference symbols

[0035] 10. Connectors

[0036] 11. Contact carrier

[0037] 12. Overmolding

[0038] 13. Plug-in face

[0039] 14. Locking sleeve

[0040] 15. Monday direction

[0041] 16. Moving-in assistance

[0042] 17. Ergonomic handle

[0043] 18. Security element (also known as CPA)

[0044] 19. Plug-in socket (component of the mating connector)

[0045] 20. Connectors

[0046] 21. Contact carrier

[0047] 22. Housing

[0048] 23. Poetry

[0049] 24. Mounting direction

Claims

Patent claims 1. Arrangement with a plug connector (10) which has a contact carrier (11) with at least one contact chamber, wherein a contact partner is arranged in the contact chamber and is arranged at one end of an electrical conductor of a line, wherein the contact carrier (11) is arranged at least partially within a housing, wherein there is also a mating plug connector into which the plug connector (10) can be plugged to form a plug connection, characterized in that the plug connector (10) has a latching sleeve (14) which can be fitted (mounted) by the plug face (13) of the plug connector (10) and nevertheless prevents the contact carrier (11) from being pushed out of the housing.

2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the connector (10) has a pull-in aid (16).

3. Arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the housing is formed as an overmolding (12) at least partially around the contact carrier (11).

4. Arrangement according to claim 3, characterized in that the overmolding (11) surrounds the end region of at least one line which leads out of the contact carrier (11).

5. Arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the pull-in aid (16) is designed as a slider.

6. Arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the pull-in aid (16) is designed as a lever.

7. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plug connection, in particular the plug connector (10), has a securing element (18) for securing the plug connection against unintentional unplugging.

8. Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the pulling aid (16) has an ergonomic handle (17) for its operation.

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