Plug connection having a locking clip having a catch, and method for locking and unlocking a plug connection

Abstract

A plug connector having two housings and a locking clip and a catch for locking and unlocking the two housings is provided, wherein the locking clip is rotatably mounted on one of the two housings. The catch comprises at least one part and is arranged on the locking clip. It has a folded-out position and a folded-in position. In addition, the catch has at least one articulated connection and is formed in the shape of a Z-beam or Z-support. The catch prevents inadvertent opening and closing of the locking clip with simultaneously simple handling for the user. Methods for locking and unlocking a plug connection are also provided. The catch 2 when folded down (FIG. 1) blocks the locking clip 1 against movement to an unlocked position. The catch 2 when folded upward (FIG. 2) permits free motion of the locking clip 1 to the unlocked position to permit separation of the housings.

Claims

1. A plug connection, comprising: two housings; and a locking clip having a catch for locking and unlocking the two housings, wherein the locking clip is mounted on one of the two housings in a rotatable manner about a clip axis of rotation, wherein the catch has a base end and a free end opposite the base end, wherein the base end of the catch is coupled to the locking clip, wherein the catch has at least one hinged connection that defines a catch axis of rotation that is perpendicular to a plug-in direction of the plug connection and perpendicular to the clip axis of rotation, wherein the catch is movable about the catch axis of rotation between a folded-out position, in which the free end obstructs movement of the locking clip, and a folded-in position, in which movement of the locking clip is unobstructed by the catch, wherein the plug connection is in a locked state when the locking clip is in a locked position and the catch is in the folded-out position, wherein the plug connection is in an unlocked state when the locking clip is in an unlocked position and the catch is in the folded-in position, and wherein the catch is formed in a shape of a z-beam.

2. The plug connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein the catch is mounted on the locking clip in a captive manner.

3. The plug connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one hinged connection of the catch is a swivel joint.

4. The plug connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein the z-beam comprises two parallel legs that are different lengths.

5. The plug connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein the catch comprises a first part and at least one second part, and wherein the first part and the at least one second part are connected to one another via a hinge joint or a swivel joint.

6. A method for locking a plug connection having two housings via a locking clip having a catch, wherein the locking clip is mounted on one of the two housing in a rotatable manner about a clip axis of rotation, wherein the catch has a base end and a free end opposite the base end, wherein the base end of the catch is coupled to the locking clip, wherein the catch has at least one hinged connection that defines a catch axis of rotation that is perpendicular to a plug-in direction of the plug connection and perpendicular to the clip axis of rotation, wherein the catch is movable about the catch axis of rotation between a folded-out position, in which the free end obstructs movement of the locking clip, and a folded-in position, in which movement of the locking clip is unobstructed by the catch, wherein the plug connection is in a locked state when the locking clip is in a locked position and the catch is in the folded-out position, wherein the plug connection is in an unlocked state when the locking clip is in an unlocked position and the catch is in the folded-in position, and wherein the catch is formed in a shape of a z-beam, the method comprising: plugging together the two housings of the plug connection, moving the locking clip from the unlocked position into the locked position, and moving the catch from the folded-in position into the folded-out position.

7. The method for locking a plug connection as claimed in claim 6, further comprising: additional securing of the catch by way of a wire or a sealing or a bolt or a lock.

8. A method for unlocking a plug connection having two housings via a locking clip having a catch, wherein the locking clip is mounted on one of the two housing in a rotatable manner about a clip axis of rotation, wherein the locking clip has a base end and a free end opposite the base end, wherein the base end of the catch is coupled to the locking clip, wherein the catch has at least one hinged connection that defines a catch axis of rotation that is perpendicular to a plug-in direction of the plug connection and perpendicular to the clip axis of rotation, wherein the catch is movable about the catch axis of rotation between a folded-out position, in which the free end obstructs movement of the locking clip, and a folded-in position, in which movement of the locking clip is unobstructed by the catch, wherein the plug connection is in a locked state when the locking clip is in a locked position and the catch is in the folded-out position, wherein the plug connection is in an unlocked state when the locking clip is in an unlocked position and the catch is in the folded-in position, and wherein the catch is formed in a shape of a z-beam, the method comprising: moving the catch from the folded-out position into the folded-in position, moving the locking clip from the locked position into the unlocked position, and separating the two housings of the plug connection.

9. The method for unlocking a plug connection as claimed in claim 8, further comprising: releasing the catch prior to moving the catch from the folded-out position into the folded-in position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) An exemplary embodiment of the invention is depicted in the drawings and is explained in greater detail below. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective depiction of a locking clip with a first variant of the inventive catch (folded out);

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective depiction of the locking clip from FIG. 1 with a folded-in catch;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective depiction of a locking clip with a second variant of the inventive catch (folded out); and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a perspective depiction of the locking clip from FIG. 3 with a folded-in catch.

(6) The figures may contain partially simplified, schematic depictions. Identical reference symbols are used in part for similar but possibly not identical elements. Different views of the same elements could be scaled differently.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1 shows a perspective depiction of a locking clip 1 which is mounted on a first housing 3.1 of a plug connection. The second housing 3.2 is also depicted. In all the figures, the first housing 3.1 is a so-called attachment housing which can be mounted on a machine, for example. In all the figures, the second housing 3.2 is depicted as a so-called socket housing. The machine is thereby supplied with power and/or control signals, for example. Of course, other types of housings which can be connected to one another are also conceivable.

(8) The locking clip 1 is in a locked position vr and thus connects the two housings 3.1 and 3.2 to one another. To this end, the locking clip 1 is mounted on the first housing 3.1 in a rotatable manner about a clip axis of rotation A.sup.1. In this example, the rotation takes place via so-called bearing pins 3.3 which are arranged on the first housing 3.1 and on which bearing pins 3.3 the locking clip 1 is mounted. In order to bring the locking clip 1 in the unlocked position, it must be moved in the direction of the first housing 3.1, i.e., downward in the plug-in direction represented by the arrow P, away from the second housing 3.2. The unlocked position is not shown in the figures.

(9) In the unlocked position, the first housing 3.1 and the second housing 3.2 can be connected to one another or be separated from one another. A fixed connection between the first housing 3.1 and the second housing 3.2 is formed when the locking clip is in the locked position yr.

(10) The inventive catch 2 is rotatably mounted on the locking clip 1 to rotate about a catch axis of rotation A.sub.2, which is perpendicular to the clip axis of rotation A.sub.1 and perpendicular to the plug-in direction P. In FIG. 1, this catch 2 is in the folded-out position ak wherein a free end of the catch 2 obstructs movement of the clip 1 to its unlocked position. The catch 2 is a z-beam-shaped object which is mounted on the locking clip 1 by a swivel joint 4.

(11) In the folded-in position ek, the catch 2 is attached to the locking clip 1 in an optimal manner by way of the z-beam-shaped configuration. This is shown in FIG. 2. The mounting of the catch 2 on the locking clip 1 significantly reduces the risk of injury for the operator, as well as the risk of damage to the catch 2.

(12) The catch 2 can be moved between a folded-out position ak (FIG. 1) and a folded-in position ek (FIG. 2). The movement is made possible by a swivel joint 4. A different hinged connection is also conceivable for the movement between the two positions. The folded-in position ek is depicted in FIG. 2 for the first variant and in FIG. 4 for the second variant. By contrast, the folded-out position ak is shown in FIG. 1 for the first variant and FIG. 3 for the second variant.

(13) With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the catch 2 is arranged on the locking clip 1, in the direction of the first housing 3.1. It can thus be used by the operator in one single movement together with locking or unlocking. Additional handles on the plug connection are dispensed with, which in turn saves time for the operator. Additionally, this arrangement also has the advantage that the catch 2 can interact with the side of the first housing 3.1 which can be added onto a wall, and thus further increases the catching action of the catch 2.

(14) The catch 2 and the locking clip 1 each have an opening 5a 5b through which a bolt or a lock or a wire 6 can be inserted for securing the plug connection in the locked state. The two openings 5a 5b are in alignment with one another when the plug connection is in the locked state. In this exemplary embodiment, the two openings 5a 5b are arranged near to the swivel joint 4.

(15) In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the catch 2 is made in one piece. A two-piece embodiment of the catch 2′ is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

(16) FIG. 2 shows the same plug connection with the same first and second housings 3.1 and 3.2 as FIG. 1. The locking clip 1 is in the locked position yr. The catch 2 is in the folded-in position ek, in which it is possible to open or, in the case of locking clips 1 which are still open, close the locking clip 1.

(17) Here, the two openings lie at an angle to one another, since an additional securing is not necessary in the folded-in position ek.

(18) FIG. 3 likewise shows the same plug connection with the same first and second housings 3.1 and 3.2 as FIGS. 1 and 2. The locking clip 1 is in the locked position yr. The catch 2′ is in the folded-out position ak. Opening or closing, depending on the position of the locking clip 1, is not possible in this position.

(19) FIGS. 3 and 4 differ from FIGS. 1 and 2 by the configuration of the catch 2′. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the catch 2 is made in one piece and is mounted on the locking clip 1 by a swivel joint 4. In FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the catch 2′ is also mounted on the locking clip 1 by a swivel joint 4, however the catch 2′ is made in two pieces.

(20) The first part and the second part of the catch 2′ are connected to one another by a hinge joint. The connection is also conceivable by a further swivel joint. Convenience and accessibility when mounting or dismounting the first housing 3.1 can be improved for the operator by the additional hinge, in the event that said housing was not yet mounted/dismounted. This is because the catch 2′ can also be unlatched in the folded-out position ak by way of the second hinge, in order to control the seal between the two housings 3.1 and 3.2, for example.

(21) The catch 2′ and the locking clip 1 each have an opening. The two openings are in alignment with one another when the plug connection is in the locked state. In this exemplary embodiment, the two openings are arranged as follows. The opening of the locking clip 1 is arranged on the side thereof. The opening of the catch 2′ is arranged on the hinge joint, more specifically in an opening in the hinge joint.

(22) In contrast to FIG. 3, FIG. 4 shows the two-piece catch 2′ in the folded-in position ek. Other than that, the same plug connection with the same housings 3.1 and 3.2 as well as the locking clip 1 are shown. The locking clip 1 is also in the locked position vr in this figure.

(23) Here, the two openings lie at an angle to one another, since an additional securing is not necessary in the folded-in position ek.

(24) The configuration of the two-piece catch 2′, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, is an alternative to the one-piece configuration of the catch 2. The one-piece embodiment is preferred if a high degree of stability is to be guaranteed. By contrast, the two-piece embodiment is the compromise between stability and accessibility.

(25) In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.