WO2013034443A1

WO2013034443A1 - Electric connector with contact protection

Info

Publication number: WO2013034443A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/066379
Authority: WO
Inventors: Constantin Classen; Michael Herrmann; Karlo Stjepanovic
Original assignee: Weidmüller Interface GmbH & Co. KG
Priority date: 2011-09-06
Filing date: 2012-08-23
Publication date: 2013-03-14
Also published as: DE202011051214U1

Abstract

The invention relates to an electric connector (1), in particular a plug, comprising an insulating-material housing (2) and a busbar (3) which is led out of the insulating-material housing (2) and which is surrounded by a contact protection means (4), said contact protection means (4) being designed to be resilient.

Description

Electrical connector with contact protection

The present invention relates to an electrical connector with a

Contact protection.

In industrial production, there is always the need to convert machines and adapt production lines to the currently manufactured products. In this case, often a reconfiguration of the electrical supply paths and signal paths is required. Such reconfiguration should be quick and easy.

Therefore, there is a demand that male-female assemblies for such machines are very quick and easy to handle and, in particular in energized state, safe for the operator.

The object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector that allows a very quick and easy handling, ensures a secure electrical contact and also very dangerous for the operator to handle. The object is achieved with an electrical connector, in particular a plug, with an insulating material housing and a conductor rail guided out of the insulating housing, which is surrounded by a contact protection means, wherein the contact protection means is at least partially resilient, so that the

Berührschutzmittel against a restoring force of a relaxed state in a tensioned state and back is adjustable. This resilient training of the

Touch protection means causes the contact protection means is automatically reset from the tensioned state to the relaxed state.

In this case, the Berührschutzmittel on a deformation region, which is resilient formed. The deformation region is preferably reversible from the relaxed state in which it completely surrounds the busbar, in the tensioned state, in which it surrounds the busbar only partially, against a restoring force collapsible. In a preferred embodiment, the contact protection means is formed tubular so that it completely surrounds the busbar in the relaxed state. In the relaxed state, the electrical connector is therefore safely handled by a fitter even when energized busbar.

The deformation region is preferably formed as a compression spring, particularly preferably as a spiral spring or as a plate spring. It is particularly preferred from a fe made of plastic. In principle, however, a made of a metal or a metal alloy, in particular made of spring steel, and surrounded by an insulating material such as plastic compression spring used. To adjust the contact protection means from the relaxed to the tensioned state, the contact protection means preferably has a contact ring. And for the introduction of Berührschutzmittels in a guide groove of the insulating material of the electrical connector, the Berührschutzmittel also preferably has a guide means. Furthermore, it is preferred that the contact protection means is arranged detachably on the insulating housing of the electrical connector.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the electrical connector is designed as a push-in plug. Preferably, an electrical conductor or other electrical connector is detachably locatable in the electrical connector. But there are also other embodiments of electrical connector according to the invention possible, for example, an embodiment in which an electrical conductor is fixed directly, in particular irreversible, to the power rail, or an embodiment in which the electrical connector not as a push-in plug, but in a other connection technology, for example as a cutting connection, as a spring clamp connection, as a crimp connection or as Schraubklemmanschluss is formed.

The object is further achieved with a plug socket arrangement with an electrical connector according to the invention and with an electrical counter-connector, wherein the contact ring of Berührschutzmittels upon insertion of the electrical connector in the electrical mating connector cooperates with a bearing surface of the insulating material of the electrical mating connector. The bearing surface of the electrical mating connector acts during insertion preferably as a counter surface, so that further preferably the deformation region of Berührschutzmittels when inserting the electrical connector in the electrical mating connector reversibly against the restoring force from the relaxed state collapses into the tensioned state.

It is preferred that the deformation region automatically pushes back from the tensioned state to the relaxed state upon removal of the electrical connector from the electrical mating connector. The restoring force of

Berührschutzmittels therefore assists the fitter in handling the electrical connector, in particular when removing the electrical connector from the electrical mating connector. The busbar of the electrical connector preferably has an open end, on which an insulating means is arranged, which cooperates in the tensioned state with a contact spring of the electrical counterpart connector. The insulating means therefore electrically isolates the contact spring of the electrical mating connector from the bus bar.

In this case, the contact spring presses the busbar in the tensioned state preferably to a spring cage of the electrical mating connector. The electrical connector is thereby preferably reset when removing the electrical connector from the electrical mating connector both with the restoring force of the deformation region and the restoring force of the contact spring.

In order to hold the electrical connector in the tensioned state in the mating connector, it is therefore preferred in another embodiment, that on the mating connector, a contact means and / or a latching means, in particular a bend or Anformung, is provided, which in the tensioned state with a counter - Contact means and / or Gegenverrastmittel of the electrical connector, in particular a recess or recess cooperates. It is preferred that the contact means and / or a latching means on the busbar of the mating connector and the mating contact means and / or Gegenverrastmittel are arranged on the busbar of the electrical connector.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the figures with reference to embodiments, wherein further advantages of the invention will become apparent.

an electrical connector according to the invention in a perspective view, the electrical connector of Figure 1 in an exploded view,

3 shows a contact protection means for an electrical connector according to the invention, wherein FIG. 3 (a) shows the contact protection means in a perspective view, and FIGS. 3 (b) and (c) show the contact protection means in a side view, and wherein the contact protection means in FIG Fig. 3 (b) is shown in the relaxed state and in Fig. 3 (c) in the tensioned state, Fig. 4 - 6 a plug-socket arrangement with the electrical connector of Fig. 1 and an electrical mating connector, wherein Fig. 4 shows the electrical connector before insertion into the electrical mating connector, Fig. 5, the electrical connector with still in the relaxed State in contact protection means when inserted into the electrical mating connector, and Fig. 6 shows the inserted into the electrical mating connector electrical connector with tucked in contact protection means. 1 has a busbar 3 (see FIG. 2) which is completely surrounded by a contact protection means 4. The

Touch protection means 4 is tubular and therefore has a receiving opening 43 (see Fig. 2, 3), through which the busbar 3 can be inserted into the Berührschutzmittel 4, wherein the bus bar 3 in the one shown in the Fig. 1 relaxed State E of Berührschutzmittels 4 completely surrounds.

The electrical connector 1 is designed as a push-in connector and has a spring cage 6 surrounded by an insulating housing 2. The busbar 3 is led out of the insulating 2 and electrically connected to the spring cage 6. Preferably, the busbar 3 and the spring cage 6 are made in one piece as a stamped and bent part. In the following, the terms push-in plug and electrical connector 1 are used synonymously.

Fig. 2 shows this push-in plug according to the invention in an exploded view. For connecting an electrical conductor (not shown) or another plug (not shown) to the electrical connector 1, this has an insertion opening 21 through which the electrical conductor or other plug in the spring cage 6 of the electrical connector 1 can be inserted. In this case, the electrical conductor or other plug in contact with a contact plate 62. The contact plate 62 has projections 621, by means of which it is mounted rotatably in a recess 61 of the spring cage 6. Between the contact plate 62 and the spring cage 6, a spring 63 is positioned, which is S-shaped, so that the contact plate 62 rests on her. As a result, the spring 63 bends during insertion of the electrical conductor or other connector through the insertion opening 21 in the spring cage 6 against its restoring force. The contact plate 62 is therefore pressed by the force of the spring 63 against the electrical conductor or other connector, so that it is pressed against the spring cage 6 and contacted him. The spring cage 6 is removably disposed in the insulating housing 2, wherein the insulating housing 2 has an extension arm 24 which surrounds the busbar 3 partially. In this case, the Berührschutzmittel 4 is arranged in the extension arm 24. For this purpose, the contact protection means 4 is pushed onto the busbar 3 by an open end 32 of the busbar 3 which is opposite to the spring cage 6, wherein it has a guide means 44 in the form of an approximately rectangular conformation on an end facing the spring cage 6, with which it engages in a groove 241 of the extension arm 24 engages so that it is guided in the groove 241. The contact protection means 4 has a deformation region 41, which is designed as a compression spring and collapses against a restoring force. Furthermore, it has a contact means 42 on a spring cage 6 facing away from the opposite end and the guide means 44. The contact means 42 is designed as a ring which is distributed with respect to the deformation region 41 and is intended to rest against a bearing surface 220 (see FIG. 6 (b)) of a mating connector 10 (see FIGS. 4-6) when the electrical connector 1 is inserted into the mating connector 10.

In the busbar 3 also has a receiving groove 31 is provided so that an insulating means 5 at the open end 32 of the busbar 3 in the receiving groove 31 can be inserted. For this purpose, the insulating means 5 an insertion web 51 which in the

Receiving groove 31 is inserted, and an insulating head 52, which protrudes from the busbar 3.

3 shows the contact protection means 4 in a perspective view in FIG. 3 (a) and in a side view in FIGS. 3 (b) and (c). 3 (b) shows the contact protection means 4 in the relaxed state E, while FIG. 3 (c) shows the contact protection means 4 in a tensioned state G, in which the deformation region 41 is deformed against its restoring force and therefore pushed together. FIGS. 4 to 6 show a plug and socket arrangement with the electrical connector 1 of FIG. 1 designed as a push-in plug and an electrical mating connector 10, which is designed as a socket. In the following, therefore, the terms socket and electrical mating connector 10 are used synonymously. As a spring terminal of a series terminal is preferred.

4 shows the arrangement prior to insertion of the push-in connector 1 into the socket 10. The contact protection means 4 is still in the relaxed state E. The socket shown here is designed as a spring terminal and therefore also has a spring cage 60 with a busbar 30 in which a spring 630 is arranged. Again, the spring cage 60 is electrically connected to the busbar 30. In addition, the spring cage 60 is also surrounded by an insulating material 20 here. In the insulating housing 20 is for insertion of the push-in connector 1 into the socket 1 0 an insertion provided 21 0, through which the busbar 3 of the push-in connector 1 in a plug 8 in the spring cage 60 of the socket 1 0 is inserted , In Fig. 5, the push-in connector 1 is indeed partially inserted through the insertion opening 210 in the socket 1 0. However, here is the Berührschutzmittel 4 still in the relaxed state E.

For Fig. 5 shows a state in which the contact ring 42 just got into contact with the bearing surface 220 of the sleeve 1 0, but the deformation region 41 is not yet moved against the plug 8, so pushed together has.

The insertion opening 21 0 of the bush 1 0 tapers on the bearing surface 220 so that it acts as a counter-surface for the contact ring 42. This will do that

Berührschutzmittel 4 on further insertion of the push-in plug 1 in the socket 1 0 held by the bearing surface 220, wherein the busbar 3 of the push-in connector 1 is further inserted into the spring cage 60 of the socket 1 0 at the same time, and wherein the deformation region 41st of Berührschutzmittels 4 is compressed against the insertion 8. In this case, the deformation region 41 is tensioned with its restoring force.

The busbar 3 of the push-in connector 1 is inserted between the spring 630 of the socket 1 0 and the busbar 30 of the socket 1 0 in the spring cage 60 of the socket 1 0. In this case, the spring 630 of the socket 1 0 is tensioned against a restoring force, so that the busbar 3 of the push-in connector 1 is pressed against the busbar 30 of the socket 1 0. The insulating head 52 limits the Berührschutzmittel 4 at the end of the busbar 3 and ensures finger safety in the relaxed state E. On the spring is possibly in operation voltage, since it is connected to the cage. The tension state G is shown in FIG. 6. In the tensioned state G, the push-in connector 1 is replaced by the restoring force of the deformation region 41 of the contact protection means 4 as well as by a first force component 632 (see FIG. 6 (b)) Spring 630 of the socket 1 0 pressed against the insertion direction 8. In order for an electrical contacting of the busbars 3, 30 secured together and The electrical contact between the push-in plug 1 and the bush 1 0 is particularly ensured, the bus bar 30 of the bush 1 0 as a contact means and optionally (not necessarily) as latching means 330 (see Fig. 6 (a)). ) has a bend which is directed into the spring cage 60 of the socket 10 in. The contact means and possibly Verrastmittel 330 acts with a mating contact means and possibly also

Counter locking means 33 together (see Fig. 6 (b)), which is formed as a recess or recess in the busbar 3 of the push-in connector 1. In the tensioned state G, the busbars 3, 33 therefore engage with each other, so that the push-in connector 1 is not pushed out of the socket 10.

In principle, other contact means and possibly Verrastmittel (not shown) and mating contact means and possibly Gegenverrastmittel (not shown) to other components of the push-in connector 1 and the socket 1 0 providable, for example, a snap connection to the insulating 2, 20 of the Push-in connector 1 and the socket 1 0. The arrangement of the busbars 3, 30 but has the advantage that the busbar 3 of the push-in connector 1 is pressed in the tensioned state G to the busbar 30 of the socket 1 0, so that the contact means and / or

Latching means 330 is pressed into the mating contact means and / or counter latching means 33, and the push-in plug 1 is therefore held in the spring cage 60 by the second 632 force component of the spring 630 of the socket 10.

When removing the push-in plug 1 from the socket 10 this is with the restoring force of the deformation region 41 of Berührschutzmittels 4 of the push-in connector 1 and the first force component 631 of the spring 630 of the socket 1 0 from the socket 1 0 against the insertion. 8 pushed out so that the removal is easy for the operator. In this case, the deformation region 41 automatically relaxes, so that the busbar 3 of the push-in connector 1 is completely surrounded by the contact protection means 4 again after removal. The handling of the push-in connector 1 according to the invention is therefore very risk-free for the operator.

According to FIG. 5, a latching and optionally also a coding projection 64 is also formed on the insulating material housing 3 2, which engages in a corresponding contour on the insulating housing 20, preferably latching. This projection can also be optionally provided with a Kodiergeometrie, with a corresponding

Coding geometry on the housing 20 cooperates (not shown here) to create and distinguish different variants. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 electrical connector, plug

2 insulating housing of the electrical connector

21 insertion opening of the electrical connector

24 extension arm

241 Guide groove in the extension arm

3 busbar of the electrical connector

31 Groove of the busbar

32 Open end of the busbar

4 Touch protection means of the electrical connector

41 deformation range, compression spring

42 contact ring of the contact protection means

43 busbar receiving opening

44 guiding means

5 Insulating means of the electrical connector

51 insertion bridge

52 insulating head

6 Spring cage of the electrical connector

61 recess

62 contact plate

621 formation

63 spring of the electrical connector

64 locking projection

33 mating contact means and / or Gegenverrastmittel the electrical connector

8 insertion direction

E relaxed state

G Tensioned state

10 mating connectors

20 insulating housing of the electrical mating connector

210 insertion opening of the electrical mating connector

220 bearing surface of the electrical mating connector

30 busbar of the electrical counterpart connector

60 spring cage of the electrical mating connector

630 Spring of the electrical mating connector

631 First force component of the spring

632 Second force component of the spring

330 contact means and / or latching means of the electrical mating connector

Claims

claims

1 . Electrical connector (1), in particular plug, with an insulating housing (2) and a conductor rail (3) led out of the insulating housing (2) and surrounded by a contact protection means (4),

characterized in that

the contact protection means (4) is resilient.

2. Electrical connector (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the Berührschutzmittel (4) has a deformation region (41), which is designed as a compression spring, in particular as a spiral spring or as a plate spring.

3. Electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the deformation region (41) of a relaxed state (E) in which it completely surrounds the busbar (3) in a tensioned state

(G), in which it surrounds the busbar (3) only partially, can be pushed together against a restoring force.

4. Electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact protection means (4) is formed tubular.

5. Electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact protection means (4) has a contact ring (42).

6. Electrical connector (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the Berührschutzmittel (4) comprises a guide means (44) for introducing the Berührschutzmittels (4) in a guide groove (24) of the insulating housing (2) of the electrical connector (1 ) having.

7. Electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact protection means (4) is made of a plastic.

8. Electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is designed as a push-in plug.

9. plug socket arrangement with an electrical connector (1) according to one of the preceding claims and with an electrical mating connector (10), characterized in that the contact ring (42) of the Berührschutzmittels (4) during insertion of the electrical connector (1) in the electrical mating connector (10) with a bearing surface (220) of the insulating housing (20) of the electrical mating connector (10) cooperates.

10. Plug socket arrangement according to claim 9, characterized in that the deformation region (41) of Berührschutzmittels (4) upon insertion of the electrical connector (1) in the electrical mating connector (10) against the restoring force from the relaxed state (E) in the tensioned state (G) zusammenschiebt.

1 1. Plug-socket arrangement according to one of claims 9 - 10, characterized in that the deformation region (41) upon removal of the electrical connector (1) from the electrical mating connector (10) automatically from the tensioned state (G) in the relaxed state ( E) resets.

12. Plug socket arrangement according to one of claims 9 - 1 1, characterized in that the busbar (3) has an open end (32) on which an insulating means (5) is arranged, which in the tensioned state (G) with a contact spring (630) of the electrical mating connector (1 0) cooperates.

13. Plug socket arrangement according to one of claims 9 - 12, characterized in that the contact spring (630) the busbar (3) in the tensioned state (G) to the spring cage (60) of the electrical mating connector (10) presses.

14. plug socket arrangement according to one of claims 9-13, characterized in that on the mating connector (10) is provided a contact means and / or latching means (330), in particular a bend or an Anformung, which in the tensioned state ( G) with a counter contact means and / or

Gegenverrastmittel the electrical connector (1), in particular a recess or recess, cooperates, and the electrical connector (1) in the tensioned state (G) in the electrical mating connector (10) holds.