Disclosure of Invention
It is therefore an object of the present invention to specify a plug connector which reliably fixes the plugged state against manual actuation. An alternative or special object is to ensure that the plugged-in state can only be disconnected in the currentless state.
This object is achieved with the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments and advantageous refinements of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.
Embodiments of the present invention are described below, in part, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
According to one aspect, a plug connector for an electrical plug connection is provided. The plug connector comprises a first plug connector part with a housing and at least one contact element and a second plug connector part with a housing and at least one contact element. The first plug connector part and its at least one contact element can be plugged together with the second plug connector part and its at least one contact element for an electrical plug connection in the plugged-in state of the first plug connector part and the second plug connector part. The first plug connector part comprises an electrically driven drive and a first screw connection part which is rotatably coupled to the drive. The second plug connector part comprises a second rotationally fixed screw connection part which can be screwed by means of a drive to the first screw connection part for fixing the plugged state of the first plug connector part and the second plug connector part.
Embodiments of the plug connector can fix the plugged-in state by screwing through a plurality of revolutions of the first screw connection part. Multiple revolutions can be achieved by the electric drive quickly, reliably and without manual additional effort, and manual disconnection of the plugged state is precluded.
The second plug connector part may be a driverless plug connector part.
The drive part may be coupled with the first screw connection part for rotating the first screw connection part relative to the housing of the first plug connector part. Alternatively or additionally, the drive can be permanently coupled to the first screw connection part.
The first screw connection member may comprise a threaded peg or a threaded pin. The second helical connecting member may comprise a threaded sleeve. Alternatively or in combination, the first (or further first) screw connection component may comprise a threaded sleeve. The second (or further second) screw connection may comprise a threaded peg or a threaded pin.
At least one contact element can be arranged in each case at the first and second plug connector part in parallel with the first and second screw connection part, respectively.
The first and second plug connector parts may each have a contact section at which the respective at least one contact element protrudes from the respective housing (wherein preferably the optional protective casing of the contact element is not considered here as a part of the housing). The first and second screw connection parts may each be arranged next to the contact section at the respective plug connector part.
The first plug connector part and the second plug connector part may each comprise at least two modules. These modules may occupy or determine the module space at the contact field, respectively. Alternatively or additionally, the respective contact elements may be spatially and/or functionally grouped in one or each module. The drive section may occupy one or half of the module space. Preferably, the module space occupied by the driving part may be adjacent to the first screw connection member.
The first helical connection member may include a driving portion and a first helical connection member rotatably coupled to the driving portion on one or both sides of the contact section.
The first plug connector part and the second plug connector part may comprise control contact elements at the contact section (preferably at the module space occupied by the drive) respectively. These control contact elements can be in contact in pairs in the plugged-in state for controlling and/or feeding the electric drive.
The plug connector may further comprise a control unit. The control unit may be configured to control or regulate the drive, preferably via the control contact element. Alternatively or additionally, the control unit may be arranged at: at the second plug connector part, optionally via control contacts, signal-connected to the drive; at the line to the second plug connector part, optionally via this line and the control contact element, a signal connection to the drive; at the first plug connector part; and/or at the line to the first plug connector part, optionally via this line, to be signal-connected to the driver.
The plug connector may further comprise a sensor for detecting the current flowing through the contact element in the plugged-in state. The sensor may be in signal connection with the control unit. The control unit may be configured to control the driving portion so as to fix or maintain the tightened state of the first and second screw connection members, for example, if the sensor detects the current. The sensor may comprise a hall sensor for detecting a magnetic field induced by the current or a voltage sensor for detecting a voltage drop in parallel with the current flowing through the plug connector.
The first plug connector component may comprise an axial bearing. The axial bearing may be configured to transmit a pulling force from the first screw connection part to the housing of the first plug connector part.
The second helical connecting member can be longitudinally movable in the axial direction, for example between a disconnected position and a plugged-in position (which is preferably occupied in the plugged-in state). The second plug connector part may comprise a force accumulator (kraftscope), preferably a spring, which exerts a force with a prestress on the second screw connection part from the disconnected position towards the plugged-in position. In other words, the accumulator can pretension the second screw connection part into the disconnected position.
The contact elements can be configured to establish an electrical plug connection for direct current in the plugged-in state.
The first plug connector part may be a plug (for example with contact pins as at least one contact element) and the second plug connector part may be a socket for electrical plug connection (for example with contact sleeves as at least one contact element).
At the first and second plug connector parts, the at least one contact element may comprise at least one contact pin and/or at least one contact sleeve, respectively. The contact elements may be arranged and configured to be plugged in pairs in the plugged-in state.
Detailed Description
Fig. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a plug connector for electrical plug connections. The plug connector is generally designated by the reference numeral 100.
The plug connector 100 comprises a first plug connector part 200 with a housing 202 and at least one contact element 204 at a contact section 206 of the first plug connector part 200. The plug connector 100 further comprises a second plug connector part 300 with a housing 302 and at least one contact element 304 at a contact section 306 of the second plug connector part 300.
The first plug connector part 200 and its at least one contact element 204 can be plugged together with the second plug connector part 300 and its at least one contact element 304 for establishing an electrical plug connection, i.e. in the plugged-in state of the first plug connector part 200 and the second plug connector part 300.
The first plug connector part 200 comprises an electrically driven drive 208 and a first screw connection part 210 which is rotatably coupled to the drive 208. Alternatively on the driven side of the transmission of the drive portion 208, the coupling portion may comprise a gear 212 of the drive portion 208. The coupling portion may further include a ring gear 214 at the first screw connection member 210. The ring gear 214 is preferably connected to the first screw connection part 210 in a rotationally fixed manner. The ring gear 214 may be constructed integrally and in one piece with the (preferably metallic) first helical connecting member 210.
Preferably, gear 212 is permanently meshed with ring gear 214. In a variation of this embodiment or any other embodiment, the gear 212 is a pinion gear of the coupling (Ritzel). The holding torque of the drive portion 208, which increases, for example, depending on the gear ratio between the gear wheel 212 and the ring gear 214, can hinder the manual rotation of the first screw connection part. Alternatively or additionally, the first screw connection 210 is inaccessible in the plugged-in state, for example, in that the housings 202 and 304 enclose the first screw connection 210 and/or the first screw connection 210 is surrounded by a cylindrical jacket connected to the housing 202 in a rotationally fixed manner.
The second plug connector part 300 comprises a twist-stop 308 for the twist-stop (and optionally axially displaceable) arrangement of the second screw connection part 310 at the second plug connector part 300 (for example at the housing 302). The second screw connection part 310 is preferably elastically supported axially (i.e. in its longitudinal direction) at the second plug connector part 300.
By means of the drive 208, in the plugged state of the first plug connector part 200 and the second plug connector part 300, the first screw connection part 210 and the second screw connection part 310 can be screwed to each other for fixing the plugged state.
The first embodiment comprises a first screw connection 210 on only one side of the contact section 206 with a drive 208 for rotating the associated first screw connection 210. A variant of this embodiment or any other embodiment comprises on both sides of the contact section 206 a first screw connection 210 with a drive 208 for rotating the associated first screw connection 210, respectively.
Furthermore, the first embodiment comprises only at the first plug connector part 200 a first screw connection part 210 with a drive 208 for rotating the associated first screw connection part 210. The second plug connector part 300 has no drive. This embodiment or a variant of any other embodiment comprises on both sides of the plug connector 100 (i.e. also at the second plug connector part 300) screw connection parts with a drive for rotating the relevant screw connection part. For example, a rotationally fixed screw connection and a screw connection that is driven in rotation can be arranged on each side of the contact sections 206 and 306. The plugged state can thus be fixed from each side of the plug connector 100 (i.e. both from the side of the first plug connector part 200 and from the side of the second plug connector part 300) in each case in such a way that the respective drive (for example on the side of the plug connector 100 associated with this drive) causes a screw-on. As a result, the releasability of the plugged state is a logical sum-relation (conjunction) of releasing the plugged state from the side of the first plug connector part 200 and from the side of the second plug connector part 300.
Alternatively or additionally, in each embodiment, the first plug connector part 200 may be realized as a plug. The second plug connector part 300 can be realized as a ready-mounted or mountable socket.
Furthermore, in each embodiment, such as schematically illustrated by means of the first embodiment in fig. 1, the plug connector 100 may comprise a rotatable threaded sleeve as an example of the first screw connection part 210 at the first plug connector part 200. The threaded sleeve 210 is driven by a servomotor as an example of the electric drive 208. The second plug connector part 300 (i.e. the other side of the plug connector 100) comprises a twist-stop and preferably axially resilient threaded pin as an example of the second screw connection part 310.
Optionally, the contact sections 206 and 306 comprise respectively arranged control contact elements 205 and 305 at corresponding positions for controlling and/or feeding the drive 208. For example, the control contact element 205 is in contact with the drive 208 in the housing 202 of the first plug connector part 200 with an H-bridge for pulse width modulation of the current in the drive 208 (for example in the case of a commutator motor in the drive 208) or with a step control device (for example in the case of a step motor in the drive 208).
The driver 208 can be driven from the side of the first plug connector part 200 (for example from the side of the plug as the first plug connector part 200). Alternatively or additionally, the control contact elements 205 and 305, which are electrically connected in pairs in the plugged-in state, enable the actuation of the drive 208 from the side of the second plug connector part 300 (for example from the mounting side as second plug connector part 300). If the driver 208 is arranged in one or half of the module space, it is preferred if the control contact element 205 is arranged in the first plug connector part 200 in the contact section 206 of the module space occupied by the driver 208 and the control contact element 305 is arranged in the second plug connector part 300 at a corresponding position of the contact section 306.
The drive section 208 may be controlled via a control unit, for example, in such a way that the control unit controls the supply voltage and/or current of the drive section 208. The control unit can be arranged outside the plug connector 100 or in one of the plug connector parts 200 or 300.
The driver 208, the control unit or a module comprising and/or controlling the driver 208, may further comprise a sensor or a sensor interface in the first plug connector part 200. The sensor or sensor interface may be configured to sense a current flowing through the plug connector 100 and/or to sense a voltage present at the plug connector 100. By means of a sensor or a sensor interface, the control unit of the drive 208 can be configured to recognize the current and/or the voltage present and, in the presence of the voltage and/or current, to fix the plugged-in state or to keep the plugged-in state fixed by the electrically driven screwing of the two screw connections 210 and 310. So that the plug connector 100 cannot be disconnected.
The plug connector 100, preferably the first plug connector part 200 and/or the second plug connector part 300 (the latter optionally via the control contact elements 205 and 305), may comprise one or more sensors, for example for detecting the temperature, the screwed-on end stops of the two screw connection parts, the end stops in the plugged-in state and/or one or more current intensities flowing through the plug connector in the plugged-in state.
Control contact elements 205 and 305 may comprise signal contact elements. If one or more sensors are arranged in the second plug connector part 300 (for example to detect a screwed-on end stop) and the control unit is in signal communication with the first plug connector part 200 in the plug connector part 200 or via a cable, the signals of the one or more sensors in the second plug connector part 300 can be transmitted to the first plug connector part 200 (and possibly to the control unit) via the signal contact elements 305 and 205.
Optionally, the first plug connector part 200 and/or the second plug connector part 300 are constructed in a modular manner. The first plug connector part 200 and the second plug connector part 300 respectively comprise two, three or more modules 216 and 316 in the respective housings 202 and 302. Preferably, the drive 208 (and its control unit if necessary) is arranged in the module 216. The module 216 occupied by the driver 208 is preferably one of the external modules and/or is arranged on the side of the contact section 206 adjacent to the first helical connection member 210.
Modules 216 and 316 may be contact cards (kontake @ insenstz). These contact inserts may have corresponding contact elements 204 and 304 at contact sections 206 and 306, respectively. The contact elements 204 and 304 may be spatially and/or functionally grouped by modules 216 and 316, respectively. For example, the modules may include at least one fixed pole contact insert.
At the side opposite the contact sections 206 and 306, respectively, the contact insert may comprise a terminal (Klemme) for coupling an electrical line for each contact element 204 and 304, respectively.
For example, all modules 216 and 316, which do not include the drive portion 208 and do not include the control contact element 205, may be configured as contact inserts. If the drive 208 is integrated in the housing, all modules can be contact cards. In other cases, all modules except for the module for the drive 208 (and the control contact element 205 if necessary) may be configured as contact inserts.
The preferred size of the plug connector 100 (e.g., housings 202 and 302) provides space for two, three or more modules 216 or 316.
Fig. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a plug connector 100 for an electrical plug connection.
The second embodiment may improve or independently implement the first embodiment. Furthermore, features which have been described in the context of the first embodiment may be substituted for features of the second embodiment or, conversely, features of the first embodiment may be substituted for features of the second embodiment. In particular, features shown or described with the same reference numerals may be the same, interchangeable or equivalent.
The second plug connector part 300 (for example the attachment side) comprises a twist-stop and axially movable threaded pin (also called threaded pin) or a threaded rod as the second screw connection part 310. The axially movable support 312 may be a slide bearing.
The threaded pin 310 is held in its forward (i.e. more protruding from the housing 302) position by an accumulator 314 (preferably a resilient member, such as a metallic coil spring or a gas compression spring), for example to ensure a reliable capture of the two screw connection components 210 and 310 (i.e. the threaded components). By means of the elastic support, it is possible to close the plug connector 100 without and/or without electrical fixing for establishing the plugged-in state (and thus the electrical connection).
Preferably, the screw connection members 210 and 310 are configured to transmit a Protection Earth (PE), for example, in addition to fixing the plugged state by screwing. The function of protecting the ground can be achieved in the plugged-in state on the basis of the prestress of the energy store, for example, independently of whether the two screw connections 210 and 310 are screwed together or merely come into contact with the electrical line on the end side on the basis of the prestress.
Fig. 3 shows a schematic side view of a second exemplary embodiment of a plug connector 100. The viewing direction corresponds to the viewing direction of fig. 2.
Fig. 4 shows a schematic plan view of a second exemplary embodiment of a plug connector 100. Although in the second embodiment shown three modules 216 and 316 can be arranged for each plug connector component 200 and 300, respectively, other widths of the housings 202 and 302 can accommodate a corresponding number of modules 216 and 316, respectively.
Fig. 5 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a first plug connector part 200 for the plug connector 100 according to a second embodiment. The first plug connector part 200 is also disclosed independently in each embodiment. In particular, the features with reference numerals of form 2XY are disclosed not only in combination with the features with reference numerals of form 3XY, but also independently thereof.
The first plug connector part 200 comprises an axial bearing 209 for rotatably supporting the first screw connection part 210. The axial bearing 209 is configured to transmit a tensile force from the first screw connection part 210 to the housing 202 of the first plug connector part 200. The pulling force may be transmitted by the second screw connection part 310 via the screw connection. The pulling force can fix the two plug connector parts 200 and 300 relative to one another in the plugged-in state.
Fig. 6 shows a schematic side view of a first plug connector part 200 of the plug connector 100 according to the second embodiment. A related schematic view of the contact section 206 of the first plug connector part 200 is shown in fig. 7. Fig. 8 shows a schematic perspective view of a first plug connector part 200 of the plug connector 100 according to the second embodiment.
Fig. 9 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a second plug connector part 300 of the plug connector 100 according to the second embodiment. The second plug connector part 200 is also disclosed independently in each embodiment. In particular, the features bearing the reference numerals of form 3XY are disclosed not only in combination with the features bearing the reference numerals of form 2XY, but also independently thereof.
A related schematic side view of the second plug connector part 300 of the plug connector 100 is shown in fig. 10. Fig. 11 shows a schematic illustration of the contact section 306 of the second plug connector part 300 of the plug connector 100 according to the second embodiment.
Fig. 12 shows a schematic perspective view of a first plug connector part 200 of the plug connector 100 according to the third embodiment. The third embodiment differs from the second embodiment in the number of modules 216 (here, for example, 2) of the first plug connector part 200 (and the same number as the modules 316 of the second plug connector part 300).
Although the contact elements 204 and/or 304 of the second embodiment have respective protective jackets (e.g. touch protection) which respectively protrude beyond the free ends of the respective contact elements 204 and 306, in the third embodiment the contact element 204 of the module 216 is surrounded by the touch protection. In the plugged-in state, the touch-guard of the first plug connector part 200 and the corresponding touch-guard of the second plug connector part 300 engage into one another.
Fig. 13 shows a schematic perspective rear view of a first plug connector part 200 of the plug connector 100 according to the third embodiment.
On the side of the first plug connector part 200 facing away from the contact section 206, the plug connector part 200 comprises a terminal 204' for contacting each individual contact element 204. Preferably, terminals for contacting the individual contact elements 304 are also arranged on the side of the second plug connector part 300 facing away from the contact sections 306.
While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular configuration or material to the teachings of the invention for the contact elements of the described technology. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
List of reference numerals:
plug connector 100
First plug connector part 200
Housing 202 of the first plug connector part
Contact element 204 of the first plug connector part
Terminal end of contact element 204'
Control contact element 205 of the first plug connector part
Contact section 206 of the first plug connector part
Electric drive 208 of the first plug connector part
Axial bearing 209 of the first plug connector part
First screw coupling part 210
Gear or gearing 212 of the drive section
The toothing 214 of the first plug connector part
Module 216 of first plug connector components
Second plug connector part 300
Housing 302 of the second plug connector part
Contact element 304 of the second plug connector part
Control contact element 305 of the second plug connector part
Contact section 306 of the second plug connector part
Torsion stop 308
Second screw coupling part 310
Axially movable support 312
An accumulator, preferably a spring 314
Module 316 of the second plug connector part