CN105977693B

CN105977693B - Carrier for receiving modular contact inserts

Info

Publication number: CN105977693B
Application number: CN201610141120.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 托尔斯滕·迪塞尔; 丹尼斯·施普伦格
Original assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2015-03-11
Filing date: 2016-03-11
Publication date: 2020-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 2036-03-11
Also published as: CN111585093A; CN105977693A; EP3067993B1; CN111585093B; EP3067993A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a carrier for receiving modular contact inserts, comprising an opening into which at least one contact insert can be inserted in an insertion direction, and a carrier wall adjoining the opening at least in sections, the carrier wall having an edge and at least one recess formed in the edge into which a projecting element of the contact insert can be pushed when the contact insert is inserted into the opening. Furthermore, a latching element is provided which is arranged on the side wall and has an arcuate section which, in the latching position, adjoins the at least one recess in a direction opposite to the insertion direction in order to hold the projecting element of the contact insert in the recess in a direction opposite to the insertion direction and which can be moved in a direction transverse to the insertion direction from the latching position into the release position in order to release the projecting element and thus remove the contact insert from the carrier.

Description

Carrier for receiving modular contact inserts

Technical Field

The invention relates to a carrier for receiving a modular contact insert according to the preamble of claim 1.

Background

Such a carrier comprises an opening into which at least one contact insert can be inserted in an insertion direction. This opening is adjoined at least in sections by a carrier wall which has an edge and at least one groove formed in the edge. When the contact insert is inserted into the opening, the projecting elements of the contact insert can be pushed into the recesses.

Such carriers are used for the modular use of contact inserts, for example, on plug connectors. One or more contact inserts can be arranged on such a carrier in order to be inserted into the housing of the plug-in connection or connected to the housing together with the carrier. In this way, the contact inserts can be combined with one another in a modular manner and arranged in or on the plug-in connection by means of the carrier.

Such a contact insert may have, for example, one or more electrical contacts. In this case, the contact inserts are connected on the one hand to the electrical lines which are fed to the plug connector and on the other hand also form plug contacts by means of which the plug connector can be brought into mating engagement with mating plug connectors for electrical contact.

Such modular contact inserts enable a flexible assembly of the plug-in connector, so that they have a multiplicity of applications.

If the contact insert is placed on the carrier, it is necessary to hold the contact insert on the carrier in order to achieve mounting of the carrier together with the contact insert on, for example, a plug connector. For this purpose, in a carrier known for example from DE 102012110907 a1, a second carrier part can be placed on a first carrier part having a recess for receiving a projecting element of a contact insert, in order in this way to latch the projecting element inserted in the recess and thus lock it on the carrier.

In the carrier known from DE 202012103360U 1, two recesses are provided in the wall of the carrier. The projecting elements of the contact insert can be pushed in an engaging manner into first recesses on the upper edge of the carrier wall, while the journal-like molding of the contact insert can engage in a snap-on manner with second recesses in the form of openings.

In the carrier known from DE 202006012687U 1, a projection element is formed on a wall of the carrier, which can engage in a snap-in manner with a snap-in device of the contact insert.

In the carrier known from EP 1026788 a1, the carrier walls can be adjusted toward one another in order to open the carrier for inserting the contact insert.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to provide a holder for easy placement of the contact insert on the holder and for reliable locking of the contact insert on the holder, while at the same time enabling easy removal of the contact insert from the holder.

The solution of the invention to achieve the above object is the subject matter with the features of claim 1.

The carrier has a blocking element arranged on a side wall, which comprises an arcuate section

In the closed position, the at least one recess is adjoined in a direction opposite to the insertion direction in order to hold the protruding element of the contact insert in the recess in a direction opposite to the insertion direction, and

the contact insert can be moved in a direction transverse to the insertion direction from the locking position into the release position in order to release the projecting element and thus remove the contact insert from the holder.

The blocking element is preferably provided as a separate, additional element than the carrier wall. In the closed position, the latching element adjoins the groove with its arcuate section in the direction opposite to the insertion direction, so that the protruding element of the contact insert inserted in the groove can be removed directly (at least without adjustment of the arcuate section) from the groove in the direction opposite to the insertion direction.

In order to release the projecting element, the arcuate section can be adjusted relative to the wall of the holder on which the blocking element is arranged in order to open the recess in the direction opposite to the insertion direction in such a way that the projecting element, and thus also the contact insert, can be removed from the holder in the direction opposite to the insertion direction.

The arcuate section preferably extends longitudinally transversely to the insertion direction. The arcuate section extends beyond and thereby intersects the groove such that the at least one groove is adjoined by the arcuate section in a direction opposite the embedding direction. The projection element inserted in the recess is locked by the arcuate section in a direction opposite to the insertion direction in such a way that the projection element can be moved directly out of the recess in the direction opposite to the insertion direction.

In a preferred embodiment, the locking element is, for example, designed as a spring element and is thus elastic. Such a spring element may for example be made of spring steel. The arcuate section can thereby be adjusted in a resilient manner, so that after the arcuate section has been adjusted out of the locking position, the arcuate section is automatically reset into the locking position, for example.

The blocking element is preferably placed as a separate element on the carrier wall. The latching element is thereby held (in an adjustable manner) on the carrier wall and is fixed to the carrier wall in such a way that the arcuate section intersects the corresponding groove of the carrier wall, so that the projecting element of the contact insert can be latched in the groove.

In a specific embodiment, the blocking element is placed on the carrier wall in such a way that it surrounds the carrier wall on a second edge opposite the first edge with the at least one recess. The blocking element can rest with a first planar section on the outer face of the carrier wall facing away from the opening and with a second planar section on the inner face of the carrier wall facing the opening. The latching element, which is embodied for example as a spring element and is made of spring steel, thus surrounds the carrier wall and is held thereby on the carrier wall, wherein the arcuate section is preferably arranged on the outer first planar section and lies in the region of the corresponding recess of the carrier wall. The arcuate section can be arranged, for example, on an end section of the first planar section, and the carrier wall projects on an upper first edge in which at least one groove is formed, so that the arcuate section in its latching position latches the groove in a direction opposite to the embedding direction.

In one embodiment, the locking element can have an opening which corresponds to at least one recess of the wall of the carrier and is at least partially congruent therewith. The recess can be arranged, for example, on the first planar section of the locking element and relative to the corresponding recess of the carrier wall in such a way that, when the contact insert is placed on the carrier, the projection element is inserted both in the recess of the carrier wall and in the recess of the locking element. The cutouts in the first planar section are adjoined by the arcuate section in a direction opposite to the insertion direction, so that the protruding elements inserted in the cutouts can be removed directly from the cutouts when the arcuate section is in the closed position.

The arcuate section adjoins the groove on the edge of the wall of the carrier in the direction opposite to the insertion direction, so that the contact insert is held on the carrier by the arcuate section. Wherein the arcuate sections can extend in a rod-shaped manner and intersect the grooves, so that the projecting elements of the corresponding contact insert are latched in their position by the arcuate sections and cannot be removed from the carrier in a direction opposite to the insertion direction.

In a variant, a profiled section can be arranged on the arcuate section, which projects from the arcuate section transversely to the insertion direction and projects into a corresponding recess on the edge of the carrier wall. If the locking element is made of spring steel, for example, in one piece, for example, as a spring element, the profiled section can be profiled on the arcuate section, for example, in a bent manner. The profiled section projects into a recess in the carrier wall of the carrier, so that a projecting element inserted in the recess can interact with the profiled section and thereby be locked in the recess.

With such a profiled section, the locking element designed as a spring element can be structurally reinforced. Furthermore, the projecting elements of the contact insert can strike against the profiled section during insertion and thereby adjust the arcuate section in a resilient manner, so that the projecting elements can be inserted into the recesses of the carrier wall and engage with the arcuate section in a latching manner.

In a preferred embodiment, the arcuate section, viewed in the insertion direction, can be arranged below an upper edge of an edge of the bracket wall. This has the advantage that the arcuate section is protected by the wall of the bracket, for example when the bracket is dropped. In the event of a crash, the force is intercepted by the upper edge of the bracket wall of the bracket, so that the arcuate section of the blocking element, which is configured, for example, as a spring element, is not damaged.

In a further embodiment, the blocking element can be arranged in its entirety on the carrier wall in a movable, in particular deflectable, manner. In this way, the arcuate section can be adjusted between the blocking position and the release position by an adjustment, in particular a deflection, of the blocking element.

In a further embodiment, for easy actuation of the blocking element, an adjusting element can be arranged on the wall part of the carrier, which adjusting element can be twisted and acts upon the blocking element in such a way that it is moved between its blocking position and its release position when twisted.

The arcuate section can in this case extend along a carrier wall of the carrier and connect the adjusting element to a wall part of the carrier end face. The wall parts of the end faces are arranged, for example, at right angles to the wall parts of the carrier and in this way adjoin the opening of the carrier on the end faces. By deflecting the adjusting element, the arcuate section can be moved into or out of the blocking position in order to block or release in this way to remove the contact insert placed on the carrier.

In this embodiment, the arcuate section can be formed, for example, in a zigzag shape and have sections which are offset from one another transversely to the insertion direction and to the longitudinal extension of the arcuate section. The arcuate section thus has a first section and a second section that is offset relative to the first section. In the closed position of the arcuate section, the first section is inserted into the groove of the carrier wall and thus serves to close the projecting element of the contact insert arranged in the groove. And the second section rests on the bracket wall on the outside and connects the first sections together.

The bracket wall portion extends, for example, in a width direction transverse to the embedding direction. Wherein a plurality of grooves may preferably be arranged on the bracket wall portion, the grooves being periodically staggered from each other in the width direction. In this way (periodically spaced apart from one another), a plurality of plug sites are provided on the carrier, into which plug sites a plurality of contact inserts can be inserted side by side.

The carrier is formed, for example, by two carrier walls which extend parallel to one another and are spaced apart from one another in a depth direction transversely to the insertion direction and transversely to the width direction and which are connected to one another at the end faces by wall elements in order to provide a rectangular frame. One or more recesses are arranged on each of the two carrier walls, into which recesses one or more protruding elements of the contact insert can be inserted. The recesses of the two carrier walls are arranged opposite one another, for example in pairs, but have different dimensions, so that with the recesses a coding is formed which makes it possible to insert the contact insert into the carrier only in a single, predetermined position and orientation.

The recesses of the carrier wall parts have in particular mutually different widths (measured in the width direction). Whereby the groove has a first pre-specified width in a first carrier wall portion and the groove has a second further pre-specified width in an opposite second carrier wall portion.

In one embodiment, each recess can correspond to a separate locking element. By virtue of the design in which each recess is blocked by a separate blocking element, the contact insert can be held on the carrier in a separate manner and can be unlocked and removed from the carrier in particular in a separate manner, i.e. independently of the other contact inserts. For this purpose, the latching element associated with the recess into which the projecting element of the contact insert engages can be actuated in order to adjust the arcuate section of the latching element from its latching position into the release position, so that the contact insert can be removed from the recess. This can be performed independently of the other latching elements on the other recesses, so that when the contact insert is released from the recess, the other contact insert remains latched and thus remains held on the carrier.

The plug connector can have, for example, a housing and a carrier of the type described above which can be inserted into the housing or placed thereon. Such plug connectors can be used for plug-type connection with corresponding mating plug connectors and for electrical contacting of the lines with one another. In this case, a plurality of contact inserts can be held on the carrier, wherein each contact insert can have one or more contacts for a plug-in connection, in particular electrical contact, with a corresponding mating plug-in connection.

Drawings

The basic idea of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. Wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view of a carrier including a contact insert placed thereon;

fig. 2 is an arrangement according to fig. 1, seen from above;

fig. 3 is the arrangement according to fig. 1, comprising latching elements arranged on a carrier wall of the carrier for latching the contact insert on the carrier;

FIG. 4 is a view of a carrier without a contact insert including a latching element disposed thereon;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are isolated views of the blocking member;

FIG. 6 is a view of the first embodiment of the bracket;

FIG. 7 is a view of another embodiment of a bracket;

FIG. 8 is a view of a carrier including a contact insert disposed thereon, and a latching element according to another embodiment;

FIG. 9 is an isolated view of the blocking element including an adjustment element for adjusting the blocking element;

FIG. 10A is a view of the carriage including the blocking member in the release position;

FIG. 10B is the view according to FIG. 10A with the blocking element in the blocking position;

FIG. 11 is a view of a carrier including a contact insert disposed thereon, and a latching element according to yet another embodiment;

FIG. 12 is an isolated view of the blocking element including an adjustment element for adjusting the blocking element;

FIG. 13A is a view of a carrier including a blocking member disposed thereon in a release position;

FIG. 13B is the view according to FIG. 13A with the blocking element in the blocking position;

FIG. 14A is a view of a carrier including a blocking element according to yet another embodiment disposed thereon, and the blocking element in a released position;

FIG. 14B is the view according to FIG. 14A with the blocking element in the blocking position;

FIG. 15 is an isolated view of the blocking member;

FIG. 16 is a schematic view of a plug connector including a housing and a bracket embedded in the housing;

fig. 17A, 17B are perspective views of a modified embodiment of the blocking element on the basis of the embodiment according to fig. 5A, 5B;

FIGS. 18A, 18B are perspective views of another embodiment of a blocking element modified from the embodiment according to FIGS. 5A, 5B;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a bracket;

fig. 20 is a view of the bracket viewed obliquely from below;

FIGS. 21A, 21B are views of the latch member of the carrier;

FIG. 22 is an isolated view of the carrier without the blocking element;

FIG. 23 is a view of a carrier containing a placed contact insert; and

fig. 24 is a cross-sectional view according to fig. 23 taken along the section S.

Detailed Description

Fig. 16 shows a perspective view of the plug connector 1 with the housing 10 and the carrier 3 inserted into the housing 10. A conductor 2 is introduced into the housing 10, in which a plurality of conductor wires can be enclosed, which lead into the housing 10.

As shown in the schematic illustration of fig. 16 and in the specific embodiment of fig. 1 and 2, the carrier 3 serves to receive a modular contact insert 4. The contact insert 4 is placed on the carrier 3 and has outwardly projecting contact elements 40 for plug-in connection and electrical contact with corresponding mating contact elements of the mating connector 5.

In order to connect the plug connector 1 to the corresponding counter-plug connector 5, the plug connector 1 is inserted into the counter-connector 5 and thereby engages with the counter-connector 5, so that the contact elements 40 of the contact inserts 4 are connected in an electrically contacting manner with the contact elements of the counter-plug connector 5.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the contact insert 4 is of modular design and can have different properties. The contact inserts 4 each have a housing body 42 which has a plug-in opening 41 on the side facing the inside of the housing 10 of the plug-in connector 1, into which the conductor cores of the conductors 2 can be inserted for electrical contacting. On the opposite, outwardly directed face, contact elements 40 project from the outer housing 42, said contact elements being intended to engage with the counter-plug connector 5 in a plug-in manner.

The contact inserts 4 can differ with regard to the shape of the contact elements 40, the number of contact elements 40 or their basic function. Not only electrical contacts, but also, for example, mechanical or pneumatic contacts can be provided, for example, by means of the contact inserts 4.

The contact inserts 4 can be placed on the carrier 3 in different combinations in a modular manner. The carrier 3 has

carrier walls

31, 32 extending parallel to one another in the width direction B, which are spaced apart from one another in the depth direction Q and accommodate the contact insert 4 therebetween. The

carrier walls

31, 32 are connected to one another at the end faces by

wall members

33, 34, forming a rectangular frame with an opening 30 into which the contact insert 4 can be inserted in the insertion direction E.

The contact inserts 4 have the same spacing dimension, in particular the same width, in the width direction B.

Recesses 310, 320 (see fig. 6 and 7) are formed in each case in pairs on the

carrier walls

31, 32, which recesses can be pushed with the projecting

elements

420, 421 of the contact insert 4, so that the contact insert 4 lies with its projecting

elements

420, 421 in each case in a pair of

opposite recesses

310, 320 when the contact insert 4 is arranged in the carrier 3.

The

grooves

310, 320 of the opposing

bracket wall portions

31, 32 have different widths x, y measured in the width direction B (see fig. 2). In this way, a coding is formed which makes it possible to insert the contact insert 4 only in a predetermined position and orientation into the plug-in position provided between the

carrier walls

31, 32. This enables the first projecting member 24, which is narrower as measured in the width direction B, to be pushed into the groove 310 on the first bracket wall 31, while the second projecting member 421, which is arranged on the opposite side of the outer housing 42, can only be fitted into the groove 320 on the second bracket wall 32 due to its width y.

Fastening points 330, 331, 340, 341 are provided on the end-

side wall parts

33, 34, which serve to fasten the carrier 3 to the housing 10 of the plug-in connector 1 and, for example, by means of a suitable screw connection, enable the carrier 3 to be placed with the contact insert 4 arranged thereon on the housing 10.

Connecting devices

332, 342 are also provided on the end-

face wall parts

33, 34, by means of which connecting devices, for example, a neutral wire can be connected to the carrier 3.

The

grooves

310, 320 are formed in the

upper edges

313, 323 of the opposite

carrier wall parts

31, 32 and thus open out in the direction opposite to the embedding direction E. By inserting the contact insert 4 in the insertion direction E on the carrier 3, the projecting

elements

420, 421 can be inserted into the pairs of

opposite recesses

310, 320 of the

carrier walls

31, 32 on both sides of the outer housing 42 of the contact insert 4, in order to arrange the contact insert 4 on the carrier 3, and can be removed from the

recesses

310, 320 in the direction opposite to the insertion direction E, in order to remove the contact insert 4 from the carrier 3.

Since the contact insert 4 is to be held fixedly on the carrier 3 when the carrier 3 accommodating the contact insert 4 is fitted to the housing 10 of the plug connector 1 and during use of the plug connector 1, latching elements are provided on the carrier 3 which, in the latched position, act on the projecting

elements

420, 421 of the contact insert 4 and thus prevent the contact insert 4 from being removed from the position in which it is placed on the carrier 3.

Fig. 3 to 5A, 5B show a first exemplary embodiment of such a blocking element 35.

The locking element 35 is in the exemplary embodiment shown configured as a spring element made of spring steel, which is configured in a U-shape and surrounds the

carrier walls

31, 32 on the lower edge 114 facing away from the upper edge 113 with

planar sections

352, 353. Each locking element 35 corresponds exactly to a

groove

310, 320 of a

carrier wall

31, 32 and adjoins its corresponding groove 110, 120 in the direction opposite to the insertion direction E by means of an arcuate section 350. The arcuate section 350 is arranged on the outer planar section 352 and protrudes from the upper edge 113, 123 of the

bracket wall

31, 32 of the corresponding latching element 35.

On the outer planar section 352, openings 351 are arranged, which are congruent with the

recesses

310, 320 associated with the locking element 35.

When the contact insert 4 is inserted into the carrier 3, the projecting

elements

420, 421 arranged on both sides of the outer housing run against the arcuate sections 350 of the latching elements 35 corresponding to the groove pairs 310, 320, so that the arcuate sections 350 are pushed aside outward in the depth direction Q and the projecting

elements

420, 421 engage with the

grooves

310, 320. In the inserted state, the

projection elements

420, 421 are inserted into the

recesses

310, 320 of the two

carrier walls

31, 32 and into the cutouts 351 of the two blocking elements 35, wherein the removal of the contact insert 4 in the direction opposite to the insertion direction E is prevented by the arcuate section 350 of the blocking element 35.

Since there are two individual latching elements 35 for each plug-in position, each contact insert 4 can be placed individually on the carrier 3 and removed again from the carrier 3 by releasing the arcuate section 350. In the placed state, the contact insert 4 is mounted on the carrier 3 in a direction opposite to the insertion direction E, in each case by two arcuate sections 350 of two opposite latching elements 35. The locking of the projecting

elements

420, 421 can be released, for example, by manually bending the arcuate sections 350 outwards in a resilient manner, so that the contact insert 4 can be removed from the carrier 3 independently of the other contact inserts 4.

In order to better retain the blocking element 35 on the

carrier wall

31, 32 of the carrier 3, the blocking element 35 engages in the corresponding retaining

opening

311, 321 in the

carrier wall

31, 32 with a retaining tongue 354 formed on the inner planar section 353 of the blocking element 35. In this way, the blocking element 35 is seated substantially without play on the

carrier wall

31, 32.

The latching element 35 provides a simple and inexpensive locking device of the contact insert 4 on the carrier 3, which can be actuated manually and without tools. To place the contact insert 4 on the carrier 3, no action on the blocking element 35 is necessary. For removing the contact inserts 4, the arcuate sections 350 of the pairs of opposite latching elements 35 can be gripped manually and bent outward in order in this way to release the locking of the respective contact insert 4 on the carrier 3.

Fig. 17A, 17B and fig. 18A, 18B show modifications of the blocking element 35 of the above-described embodiment.

In the exemplary embodiment according to fig. 17A, 17B, the two blocking

elements

35A, 35B are connected by their inner second planar section 353 to form a hooked blocking element 35. The outer first planar sections 352 of the

locking elements

35A, 35B are not (directly) connected and their arcuate sections 353 are separated from one another, so that the

locking elements

35A, 35B can be actuated independently of one another.

In the exemplary embodiment according to fig. 18A, 18B, the three blocking

elements

35A, 35B, 35C are connected by their inner second plane section 353, so that a suspended blocking element 35 is provided, which is formed by the three blocking

elements

35A, 35B, 35C. While the outer first planar section 352 of the

blocking elements

35A, 35B, 35C and its arcuate section 350 are likewise separated from one another, so that the blocking

elements

35A, 35B, 35C can be actuated independently of one another.

Otherwise, the blocking element 35 according to fig. 17A, 17B and 18A, 18B is functionally identical to the blocking element 35 shown in fig. 5A, 5B, so that a description thereof is omitted.

Fig. 6 and 7 show two embodiments of the carrier 3. The carrier 3 can be formed, for example, as a zinc or aluminum die-cast part (fig. 6) or as a stamped part (fig. 7).

Fig. 19 to 24 show a further embodiment of a pair of carriers 3 comprising a blocking element 35 arranged thereon in the form of a spring element made of spring steel.

The carrier 3 has

carrier walls

31, 32 which are connected to one another at the end faces by

wall elements

33, 34 and form a central opening 30 into which a contact insert 4 (fig. 23) can be inserted in the insertion direction E. The carrier 3 has a rectangular shape and, in the exemplary embodiment shown, forms a plug-in position for receiving different modular contact inserts 4.

On the

carrier walls

31, 32, latching elements 35 are placed, which serve to lock the contact insert 4 in its position in the carrier 3. As shown in fig. 21A and 21B, three locking

elements

35A, 35B, 35C are connected to one another in each case to form a suspended locking element 35, wherein the

locking elements

35A, 35B, 35C each have outer planar sections 352 formed separately from one another, but are connected to one another on their inner planar sections 353, so that a suspended locking element 35 is provided.

As described above with respect to the exemplary embodiment according to fig. 3 to 5A, 5B, a retaining tongue 354 is arranged on the inner planar section 353 of each latching

element

35A, 35B, 35C, said retaining tongue being inserted in a latching manner in the corresponding retaining

opening

311, 321 when the latching element is placed on the corresponding

carrier wall

31, 32. In this case, the hooked-together latching element 35 is placed from below onto the

respective carrier wall

31, 32 in the direction opposite to the insertion direction E until the retaining tongue 354 snaps into the

respective retaining opening

311, 321 and the latching element 35 is thereby locked relative to the

carrier wall

31, 32. In the placed state, the blocking element 35 surrounds the

respective carrier wall

31, 32, so that the

carrier wall

31, 32 is arranged between the inner planar section 353 and the outer planar section 352.

Each locking

element

35A, 35B, 35C has on its outer planar section 352 an arcuate section 350 which is cut out of the outer planar section 352 by means of an opening 351. The latching

elements

35A, 35B, 35C cross the corresponding

recesses

310, 320 on the

carrier walls

31, 32 with their arcuate sections 350 and project into the

recesses

310, 320 with the profiled sections 355 profiled on the arcuate sections 150. The latching

elements

35A, 35B, 35C are thus inserted with a profiled section 355 in the

corresponding recess

310, 320 of the

bracket wall

31, 32, wherein the arcuate section lies below the upper edge of the

edge

313, 323 of the

corresponding bracket wall

31, 32, so as to be protected by the

bracket wall

31, 32, for example when the bracket 3 is dropped.

As in the previous exemplary embodiment, the

recesses

310, 320 of the

carrier walls

31, 32 have different widths x, y (see fig. 21), so that a coding of the plug-in position is formed by the

recesses

310, 320, which coding makes it possible to insert the contact insert 4 in only one position.

During the insertion operation, the contact insert 4 is inserted into the opening 30 of the carrier 3 in the insertion direction E, wherein the contact insert engages with the protruding

elements

420, 421 with the

recesses

310, 320 of the

carrier walls

31, 32. By pulling the

recesses

310, 320 relatively far in the insertion direction E, the contact insert 4 with its projecting

elements

420, 421 first engages with the

recesses

310, 320 and then strikes against the profiled sections 355 of the

latching elements

35A, 35B, 35C on both sides of the

carrier wall

31, 32, so that the outer planar section 352 is elastically bent outwards until the projecting

elements

420, 421 pass the profiled sections 355 and, as shown in fig. 24, the outer planar section 352 engages with the projecting

elements

420, 421 in a snap-fit manner.

In the inserted position, the contact insert 4 is locked in the carrier 3 and cannot be removed from the carrier 3, in particular in a direction opposite to the insertion direction E, at least without releasing the locking engagement by the

locking elements

35A, 35B, 35C, wherein the releasing operation can be effected manually or by elastically bending the

corresponding locking element

35A, 35B, 35C using a suitable tool.

By the individual design of the outer flat sections 352, it is in principle possible to place each contact insert individually on the carrier 3 and remove it again from the carrier 3.

By the profile sections 355 projecting into the corresponding

recesses

310, 320 on the

carrier walls

31, 32 on both sides, the contact points between the

latching elements

35A, 35B, 35C and the projecting

elements

420, 421 of the contact insert 4 are shifted inward, so that a secure locking of the contact insert 4 in its insertion position is ensured even in the event of play of the contact insert 4 in the opening 30 of the carrier 3.

The

carrier walls

31, 32 have a plurality of retaining

openings

311, 321 and recesses 310, 320, respectively, wherein the recesses 310, 3210 are molded relatively deep in the

carrier walls

31, 32 in the insertion direction E in order to provide an advantageous guidance for the projecting

elements

420, 421 of the contact insert 4. In order to improve the mechanical strength of the

carrier wall sections

31, 32, the planar extending wall sections 333, 334 have at least a slightly enlarged wall thickness in the

end wall sections

33, 34 relative to the

carrier wall sections

31, 32, in order to connect the

carrier wall sections

31, 32 together at the end faces and to increase the structural strength of the carrier 3.

Otherwise, the exemplary embodiments according to fig. 19 to 24 are functionally similar to the exemplary embodiments according to fig. 3 to 5A, 5B, so that a detailed description thereof is omitted here.

By bending the retaining tongue 354 of each locking

element

35A, 35B, 35C obliquely with respect to the inner planar section 353 in such a way that the retaining tongue 354 projects with its tip into the corresponding retaining

opening

311, 321 in the insertion direction E, so that when the contact insert 4 is inserted into the carrier 3 in the insertion direction E, the retaining tongue 354 retains the

corresponding locking element

35A, 35B, 35C in position on the corresponding

carrier wall

31, 32. In this case, the retaining tongues 354 impact on the lower boundary edges of the corresponding retaining

openings

311, 321 in the insertion direction E without the latching

elements

35A, 35B, 35C being released from the

carrier walls

31, 32.

Fig. 8 to 10A, 10B show a further embodiment of a carrier 3 comprising a blocking element 36 arranged thereon.

In this exemplary embodiment, a locking element 36 is arranged on each

carrier wall

31, 32, said locking element being arranged on the

respective carrier wall

31, 32 in a longitudinally extending manner starting from a central fastening point 360 with an

arcuate section

361, 362, and surrounding the

end wall

33, 34 with an

end section

363, 364 and being connected to the adjusting element 37, wherein the locking element 36 is fastened to the

respective carrier wall

31, 32 by means of said fastening point. The

end sections

363, 364 each have an

opening

365, 366, in which an actuating section 371 of the actuating element 37, which can be rotated about the journal 370, is inserted.

The

arcuate sections

361, 362 extend longitudinally in the width direction B on the respective

bracket wall portions

31, 32. In this case, the

arcuate sections

361, 362 are inserted in the latching position into the groove-shaped depressions 312 (see fig. 10A) of the

respective carrier wall

31, 32, so that when the

arcuate sections

361, 362 are in the latching position, as shown in fig. 8, the contact insert 4 inserted into the carrier 3 is latched by its projecting

elements

420, 421 on the carrier 3.

As shown in fig. 10A, by rotating the adjusting element 37 in the direction of rotation V (see fig. 10B), the

arcuate sections

361, 362 of the blocking element 36 can be adjusted in pairs out of the blocking position. The

arcuate sections

361, 362 opposite to each other in the depth direction Q of the locking element 36 can be adjusted together by engaging the adjustment elements 37 of the corresponding

arcuate sections

361, 362 with the

end sections

363, 364 of the

arcuate sections

361, 362.

This allows the arcuate section 361 shown on the left in fig. 10A to be adjusted together by the left-hand adjusting element 37, while the arcuate section 362 shown on the right in fig. 10A is adjusted by the right-hand adjusting element 37. In this way, the contact insert inserted into the left half of the carrier 3 can be removed independently of the contact insert inserted into the right half of the carrier 3, and vice versa.

The blocking element 36 may be made of spring steel and have elasticity.

In contrast to the exemplary embodiment according to fig. 8 to 10A, 10B, in the exemplary embodiment according to fig. 11 to 13A, 13B, the blocking element 38 is of meandering configuration and has

sections

381, 382 offset from one another.

Wherein each blocking element 18 has an arcuate section 180 which extends longitudinally along one of the

carrier walls

31, 32. In this case, when the locking element 38 is in the locked position, the inwardly offset sections 381 of the arcuate section 380 engage in the

recesses

310, 320 of the

carrier walls

31, 32, so that the contact insert 4 placed on the carrier 3 is locked together with respect to the carrier 3 by means of the inwardly offset sections 381, as shown in fig. 11.

By rotating the adjusting element 37 in the direction of rotation V, the blocking elements 38 can be moved jointly out of their blocking position in order to remove the contact insert 4 from the carrier 3 or to place the contact insert 4 on the carrier 3.

The latch element 38 may be made of spring steel and have elasticity.

Fig. 14A, 14B and 15 show another embodiment.

In this embodiment, the blocking element 39 is arranged deflectable on the

bracket wall

31, 32 in the form of a longitudinally extending wire. The blocking element 39 is mounted in a pivotable manner on the

carrier wall

31, 32 by means of a clip element 396 which surrounds the bearing section 392 and is inserted with the bearing

sections

393, 394 into the bearing openings on the

end wall parts

33, 34 of the carrier 3. The latching section 391 is laterally offset relative to the

bearing section

392 and 394, thereby creating a serpentine shape.

The locking element 391 can be brought into a locking position (fig. 14B) or into a release position (fig. 14A) by pivoting the locking element 39 in order to lock or release the contact insert 4 on the

recesses

310, 320 of the

carrier walls

31, 32.

For each blocking element 39, an adjusting section 396 is arranged in such a way that it connects an end-side bearing section 394 on the end-face wall part 33 on the left in fig. 14A, by means of which a user can grip the blocking element 39 in order to deflect it between its blocking position and release position. In the release position, the contact insert 4 can be placed on the carrier 3 or removed from the carrier 3. In the closed position, the contact insert 4 placed on the carrier 3 is locked on the carrier 3 and is thus held firmly and reliably on the carrier 3.

The basic idea of the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown above, but can in principle also be implemented in embodiments of entirely different types.

In principle, a latching element can correspond to one or more recesses, so that one or more contact inserts can be unlatched and removed from the carrier by actuating a latching element.

Since the latching element is designed as a separate element from the carrier wall of the carrier, the carrier wall can be made of a strong, non-elastic material and thus a secure and reliable fixing of the contact insert on the carrier is ensured. The spring element can be produced as a low-cost component and can be placed on the carrier wall in a simple manner.

Claims

1. A carrier (3) for receiving a modular contact insert (4), having:

an opening (30) into which at least one contact insert (4) can be inserted in an insertion direction (E);

a carrier wall (31, 32) adjoining the opening (30) at least in sections, having a first edge (313, 323) and at least one recess (310, 320) formed in the first edge (313, 323), into which a projection element (420, 421) of the contact insert (4) can be pushed when the contact insert (4) is inserted into the opening (30); and

a blocking element (35, 36, 38, 39) arranged on the carrier wall (31, 32), the blocking element having an arcuate section (350, 360, 380, 390)

In the blocking position, the at least one recess (310, 320) is adjoined in a direction opposite to the insertion direction (E) in order to hold a protruding element (420, 421) of the contact insert (4) in the recess (310, 320) in a direction opposite to the insertion direction (E), and

can be moved in a direction transverse to the insertion direction (E) from the blocking position into a release position in order to release the projecting element (420, 421) and thus remove the contact insert (4) from the carrier (3);

wherein the arcuate section (350, 360, 380, 390) extends transversely to the insertion direction (E) and, in the closed position, intersects the at least one groove (310, 320) in such a way that the at least one groove (310, 320) is adjoined by the arcuate section (350, 360, 380, 390) in a direction opposite to the insertion direction (E), wherein the closure element (35, 36, 38, 39) is elastic, characterized in that the closure element (35) is placed as a separate element on the carrier wall (31, 32) in such a way that the closure element (35) surrounds the carrier wall (31, 32) on a second edge (314, 324) opposite to the first edge (313, 323) having the at least one groove (310, 320), wherein the closure element (35) rests with a first planar section (352) against the carrier wall (31, 32) on an outer face facing away from the opening (30), a second planar section (353) rests against an inner face of the carrier wall (31, 32) facing the opening (30), and the arcuate section (350) is arranged on the first planar section (352).

2. The carrier (3) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the first planar section (352) has cutouts (351) for accommodating projecting elements (420, 421) of the contact insert (4), wherein the cutouts (351) are adjoined by the arcuate section (350) in a direction opposite to the embedding direction (E).

3. A bracket (3) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that on the arcuate section (350) there is arranged a profiled section (355) projecting from the arcuate section (350) transversely to the embedding direction (E), which profiled section projects into a recess (310, 320) on a first edge (313, 323) of the bracket wall (31, 32).

4. A bracket (3) according to claim 3, characterized in that the arcuate section (350) is arranged below an upper edge of the first edge (313, 323) seen in the embedding direction (E).

5. A carrier (3) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the blocking element (36, 38, 39) is movably arranged on the carrier wall (31, 32) transversely to the embedding direction (E).

6. A carriage as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the blocking element is arranged in a deflectable manner on the carriage wall (31, 32).

7. A pallet (3) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the blocking element (36, 38, 39) is adjustable between the blocking position and the release position by means of an adjusting element (37) arranged rotatably on a wall part (33, 34) of the pallet (3).

8. The bracket (3) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the arcuate section (380, 390) is constructed zigzag-shaped and has a first section (381) and a second section (382) which are offset from one another transversely to the embedding direction (E) and to the longitudinal extension direction (B) of the arcuate section (380, 390), wherein in the latched position the first section (381) of the arcuate section (380) is inserted in a groove of the bracket wall (31, 32) and the second section (382) which is offset transversely to the first section bears against an outer face of the bracket wall (31, 32) facing away from the opening (30).

9. A bracket (3) according to claim 1, characterized in that the bracket wall portions (31, 32) extend in a width direction (B) transverse to the embedding direction (E).

10. A pallet (3) according to claim 9, characterized in that the pallet wall (31, 32) has a plurality of grooves (310, 320) periodically spaced from each other in the width direction (B).

11. A carrier (3) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the carrier (3) has two carrier walls (31, 32) extending parallel to each other and spaced apart from each other in a depth direction transverse to the embedding direction (E) and transverse to the width direction (B), which carrier walls each have at least one recess (310, 320) for accommodating a protruding element (420, 421) of a contact insert (4).

12. A pallet (3) according to claim 11, characterized in that the grooves (310, 320) of the two pallet wall parts (31, 32) are arranged opposite each other in pairs.

13. A pallet (3) according to claim 11, characterized in that the grooves (310, 320) of the two pallet wall parts (31, 32) have different dimensions (x, y), in particular measured in the width direction (B).

14. A carriage (3) as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that each recess (310, 320) corresponds to a separate blocking element (35).

15. Plug-in connector (1) having a housing (10) and a carrier (3) according to one of claims 1 to 14 which can be inserted into the housing (10) or placed on the housing (10).

16. The connector (1) according to claim 15, characterised in that the connector (1) has a plurality of contact inserts (4) which are held on the carrier (3) and each have one or more contact elements (40) for plug-in connection or contact with a corresponding mating connector (5).