High-current electrical connector and electrical connector system

Abstract

A high-current electrical connector (1) is codable for use with a certain mating electrical connector and flexibly and comfortably adaptable to the conditions of a tight installation space in which the high-current electrical connector is used. The insulating body (14) of the high-current electrical connector is retained on the pin contact (11) such that said insulating body can be rotated about the pin axis (S). Thus, the mating electrical connector (4) connected thereto, coded therefor and aligned therewith can be rotatably retained such that the angled cable outlet (42) of the mating electrical connector can be flexibly oriented within the installation space as required.

Claims

1.-16. (canceled)

17. A high-current plug connector (1, 1′) for installing and/or mounting in or on an electrical device and for mating with a mating plug connector (4) and for transmitting electrical energy to the mating plug connector (4), the high-current plug connector (1, 1′) comprising: an insulating body (14), which has a polarization element (146) for defining an alignment of the mating plug connector (4) on the insulating body (14) and a coding element (145) for preventing mismatings; and a plug contact (11) arranged in and/or on the insulating body (14) and having a plug-in region (116) and, opposite thereto, a connection region (117) with a screw thread (113), wherein the plug contact (11), by means of its screw thread, can be fixed on the electrical device and electrically contacted thereby, and wherein the insulating body (14) is at the same time held on the plug contact (11) such that it is rotatable about a plug contact axis (S) of the plug contact (11).

18. The high-current plug connector (1′) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the high-current plug connector (1′) further comprises a mounting housing (15), which has a fastening flange (156) with which it can be fixed on the electrical device, wherein the insulating body (14) is arranged in and/or on the mounting housing (15) and is held therein and/or thereon such that it is rotatable about the plug contact axis (S).

19. The high-current plug connector (1, 1′) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the high-current plug connector (1, 1′) has a locking clip (18), which is held such that it can swivel about an axis of rotation (D) for locking and unlocking the mating plug connector (4) on the insulating body (14) of the high-current plug connector (1, 1′).

20. The high-current plug connector (1, 1′) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the high-current plug connector (1, 1′) has a coding, which is formed by a relative position of the coding element (145) and the polarization element (146).

21. The high-current plug connector (1, 1′) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the insulating body (14) has a circumferential collar (148) and a cavity (140) formed thereby, into which the plug contact (11) projects with its plug-in region (116).

22. The high-current plug connector (1, 1′) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the plug contact (11) has a circumferential groove in its plug-in region (116), in which groove a contact spring (118) is arranged for electrically contacting a mating plug contact (41) of the mating plug connector (4).

23. The high-current plug connector (1, 1′) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the plug contact (11) has touch protection (12) at a free end of its plug-in region (116), which touch protection consists of an electrically insulating material.

24. The high-current plug connector (1, 1′) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the plug contact (11), by means of its connection-side screw thread (13), can be screwed into or onto a busbar of the electrical device for fastening and electrical contacting purposes.

25. The high-current plug connector (1,1′) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the plug contact is a pin contact (11) and wherein the plug-in region of the pin contact is formed by a contact pin (116).

26. The high-current plug connector (1,1′) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the high-current plug connector (1, 1′) has a single pole.

27. A high-current plug connector system, comprising: the high-current plug connector (1, 1′) as claimed in claim 17; and a mating plug connector (4) with an angled cable outlet (42).

28. The high-current plug connector system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the high-current plug connector (1, 1′) and the mating plug connector (4) have a common coding via which they are defined as corresponding to one another and being mateable with one another.

29. The high-current plug connector system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the mating plug connector (4) has a mating insulating body (44) with a mating polarization element (446) for alignment on the insulating body (14) of the high-current plug connector (1).

30. The high-current plug connector system as claimed in claim 27, wherein, in a mated state, the mating plug connector (4) with its angled cable outlet (42) is held such that it is rotatable about the plug contact axis (S) of the high-current plug connector (1, 1′).

31. The high-current plug connector system as claimed in claim 29, wherein a coding on the high-current plug connector consists in a coding molding (145) of a circumferential collar (148) of the insulating body (14) in conjunction with its position relative to the said polarization element (146) and wherein a coding on the mating plug connector consists in a coding recess (445)—matching the said coding molding (145)—of a mating insulating body (44) of the mating plug connector (4) in conjunction with its position relative to a mating polarization element (446) of the mating plug connector (4), wherein the high-current plug connector (1, 1′) and the mating plug connector (4) are coded as corresponding to one another when these two relative positions coincide.

32. The high-current plug connector system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the plug contact is a pin contact (11) and a mating plug contact is a socket contact (41).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] FIG. 1a shows a high-current plug connector without a mounting housing, with an insulating body with a circumferential collar, an inserted pin contact and a locking clip.

[0040] FIG. 1b shows the pin contact as a separate component.

[0041] FIGS. 2a, 2b show a further high-current plug connector with a mounting housing in an oblique plan view and in a cross-sectional illustration.

[0042] FIGS. 3a, 3b show a mated high-current plug connector system, having the high-current plug connector and a mating plug connector in a side view and as a cross-sectional illustration.

[0043] FIG. 3c shows the mated high-current plug connector system without the mounting housing in an oblique plan view.

[0044] FIG. 3d shows the above-mentioned arrangement without a holding plate in a plan view.

[0045] FIGS. 4a-4d show the angled mating plug connector in various views.

[0046] FIG. 4e shows the angled socket contact of the mating plug connector.

[0047] FIG. 4f shows a holding plate of the mating plug connector in a side view.

[0048] FIGS. 4g-4h show a mating insulating body of the mating plug connector from a side view and in an oblique plan view.

[0049] FIGS. 5a-5d show the high-current plug connector with and without a mounting housing with three different codings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] The figures contain partially simplified, schematic illustrations. Identical reference signs are sometimes used for elements which are similar, but possibly not identical. Different views of similar elements could be drawn to different scales.

[0051] FIG. la shows a high-current plug connector 1 having an insulating body 14. The insulating body 1 has a circumferential collar 148, by means of which a cavity 140 is formed. A plug contact in the form of a pin contact 11 is furthermore held in the insulating body 14 such that it is rotatable about its pin axis S. Conversely, the insulating body 14 is therefore held on the plug contact 11 such that it is rotatable about the pin axis S. The plug contact 11 is a high-current contact and can transmit currents of 10 A (amperes) and more, for example.

[0052] In a respectively different embodiment, however, the plug contact could also be a socket contact, a hermaphroditic contact or any other plug contact which is capable of transmitting currents of 10 A and more, for example.

[0053] The high-current plug connector 1 furthermore has a locking clip 18, which is held on the circumferential collar 148 of the insulating body 14 such that it can swivel about an axis of rotation D, wherein the axis of rotation D extends perpendicularly to the pin axis S. As a result of this swiveling movement, a mating plug connector 4 mated with the high-current plug connector 1 can be locked on the high-current plug connector 1. In the present example, the locking clip 18 is held on two mutually opposing pivot pins 143 such that it is rotatable about the axis of rotation D.

[0054] The circumferential collar 148 has a polarization element in the form of a planar polarization portion 146, which is provided for the alignment of the mating plug connector 4 mated therewith. The circumferential collar 148 has a planar form in the region of this polarization portion 146. Situated opposite, i.e. at an angular spacing of 180°, the insulating body 14 has, on its circumferential collar 148, a coding element in the form of a coding molding 145, which is directed inwards, i.e. projecting into the cavity 140.

[0055] The pin contact 11 is illustrated again separately in FIG. lb. The pin axis S shown in this illustration is formed by the axis of symmetry of the pin contact 11 in this case.

[0056] The pin contact 11 has a circumferential groove (not shown in more detail) in its plug-in region which is designed as a contact pin 116, in which groove a contact spring in the form of an annularly designed helical spring 118 is arranged for electrical contacting of a contact socket 411 of the mating plug connector 4.

[0057] At the free end of its plug-in region designed as a contact pin 116, touch protection 12 made of plastic material is fastened on the pin contact 11 for electrical safety.

[0058] At the opposite end, the pin contact 11 has a connection region 117 having a screw thread designed as an external thread 113 for screwing it into or onto a busbar (not illustrated in the drawing) of an electrical device of the like.

[0059] Between the plug-in region/contact pin 116 and the connection region having the external thread 113, the plug contact 11 has a plate-shaped separating collar 132 and a screw-nut portion 131. The latter serves, for example, for manually screwing the external thread 113 into an internal thread of the busbar by means of a wrench or for securing (“locking”) the pin contact 11 in the case of a comparable screw-fastening or assembly procedure.

[0060] FIG. 2 shows a further high-current plug connector 1′, which largely corresponds to the above-mentioned high-current plug connector 1, but is additionally fitted with a mounting housing 15. FIG. 2a shows this high-current plug connector 1′ in an oblique plan view. FIG. 2b shows it in a cross-sectional illustration.

[0061] The mounting housing 15 has a hollow cylindrical sleeve 154, into which the insulating body 145 is inserted. In this case, the insulating body 14 is held in the mounting housing 15 such that it is rotatable about the pin axis S.

[0062] The mounting housing 15 furthermore has a fastening flange 156 with screw passages 150 for fastening purposes, e.g. for fastening on a device housing of the electrical device (not illustrated in the drawing).

[0063] Furthermore arranged on the external thread 113 of the connection region 117 of the pin contact 11 are two screw-nuts 13, 13′ with which the pin contact 11, for example, of the busbar of the said electrical device can be screwed and thus fastened thereon and electrically contacted thereby.

[0064] FIGS. 3a and 3b show a high-current plug connector system, having the above-mentioned high-current plug connector 1′ and a mating plug connector 4. The mating plug connector 4 is inserted into the high-current plug connector 1′ by means of its mating plug-in region 441 (thus not visible in this illustration) of its mating insulating body 44 and locked on the locking clip 18 thereof by means of its locking pin 443. In this case, the locking clip 18, which is swiveled into its locking position, reaches over the locking pins 443 of the mating plug connector 4.

[0065] The mating plug connector 4 is an angled plug connector, i.e. it has a cable outlet 42 which is angled away from its mating plug-in region 441. In the present example, the cable outlet 42 is angled through 90° from the mating plug-in region 441, although other angular positions are also possible. The use of angled plug connectors essentially has the advantage of saving on space in the mating direction. In this case, the cable outlet 42 is composed of a separate holding plate 421 and a cable-connection-side part of the mating insulating body 44, which is angled away from the mating plug-in region 441.

[0066] In the present case, however, the insulating body 14 of the high-current plug connector 1 is rotatably mounted and can therefore be rotated about the plug contact axis S despite the fastening of the pin contact 11 and possibly the mounting housing 15. Since the locking clip 18 is not held on the mounting housing 15—as is conventionally the case—but on the rotatable insulating body 14, the mating plug connector 4 with its angled cable outlet 42 can also be easily rotated about the plug contact axis S.

[0067] In another embodiment, the locking clip 18 can be held on the mating plug connector 4 such that it is capable of swiveling and can latch on the insulating body 14 of the high-current plug connector 1′. The important factor here is that the mating plug connector 4 is fixed by locking on the insulating body 14 and not on the mounting housing 15.

[0068] The mating plug contact 4 has a mating plug contact in the form of a socket contact 41. This likewise has an angled design. Its plug-in region is designed as a contact socket 411, and can be mated with the contact pin 116 of the pin contact 11, as can clearly be seen in FIG. 3b.

[0069] The mating plug connector 4 furthermore has a cable gland 43 at its cable outlet 42 for strain relief and for sealing a cable connected thereto. This is only mentioned for the sake of completeness.

[0070] FIGS. 3c and 3d shows a similar device from different perspectives for the first-mentioned high-current plug connector 1, which does not have a mounting housing 14. In this case, the insulating body 14 is merely rotatably held on the pin contact 11. The pin contact 11 can be screwed onto a busbar of the electrical device, for example, by means of the external thread 113 of its connection region 117 and can thus be mechanically fixed on said busbar and electrically connected thereto.

[0071] The insulating body 14 is held on the pin contact 11 such that it is rotatable about the mating axis S. The curved double-headed arrows R, R′ symbolize the respective, thus-enabled, rotational or pivoting movement about the plug contact axis S. In particular, the first curved double-headed arrow R shows the rotational movement which can be executed by the cable outlet 42 of the mating plug connector. The second curved double-headed arrow R′ symbolizes the associated rotational movement of the insulating body 14 about the plug contact axis S.

[0072] FIG. 3c shows the entire high-current plug connector system in the mated and locked state in an oblique plan view.

[0073] FIG. 3d shows the high-current plug connector system without the holding plate 42 in a vertical plan view. The cable connection region 413 of the socket contact 41 is visible due to the holding plate 42 being omitted.

[0074] FIGS. 4a-4d show the angled mating plug connector 4 in different views, namely an oblique side view, a front view, a side view and an oblique plan view.

[0075] The mating plug connector 4 has a holding plate 421 and a mating insulating body 44.

[0076] At its mating-side end, the mating insulating body 44 has a mating plug-in region 441 with a mating polarization element in the form of a planar mating polarization portion 446. Opposite this mating polarization portion 446, the mating plug-in region 441 has a coding recess 445 as a mating coding element. A hollow cylindrical socket touch protection 442 is integrally formed on the mating plug-in region 441. This touch protection has a plug contact opening 440, which, in FIG. 4a, enables the outermost end of the contact socket 411 of the mating plug contact 41 designed as an angled socket contact 41 to be seen.

[0077] FIG. 4e shows the angled socket contact 41, the cable connection region 413 of which is designed as a crimp connection. In this case, the cable connection region 413 and the said contact socket 411 are arranged at a right angle to one another.

[0078] FIG. 4f shows the said holding plate 421 in a side view.

[0079] FIGS. 4g and 4h show the mating insulating body 44 in an oblique plan view.

[0080] FIGS. 5a-5d show various codings of the insulating body 14 of the high-current plug connector 1, 1′.

[0081] FIG. 5a shows the further high-current plug connector 1′ with the mounting housing 15 and its fastening flange 156. In this case, the contact pin 116 of the pin contact 11 is concealed by the touch protection 12 placed thereon. However, the screw-nut portion and the plate-shaped separating collar are clearly visible in this illustration. The pin contact 11 is fastened on the electrical device (not illustrated) by means of its thread 113, and the mounting housing 15 is fastened on the said electrical device by means of its fastening flange 156. The pin contact 11 and the mounting housing are therefore in a fixed position with respect to one another.

[0082] The insulating body 14, of which only the circumferential collar 148 is visible in this illustration, has, on this circumferential collar 148, the polarization portion 146 (illustrated at the top in the drawing) and, opposite this, the inwardly directed coding molding 145.

[0083] In FIG. 5b, the high-current plug connector 1 is illustrated on an enlarged scale without the mounting housing 15.

[0084] In other embodiments, the respective coding moldings 145′, 145″ are each located on a different region of the circumferential collar 148, whereby a different coding is then produced in each case. For example, an angular spacing of 90° in each case is also possible, as shown by way of example in FIGS. 5c and 5d. The respective coding molding 145′, 145″ is then located on the axis of rotation D. It goes without saying that a plurality of further angular spacings for a different coding is also possible, so that a very high number of different codings is possible.

[0085] It is clear from this illustration that the actual coding is produced by the relative position between the respective coding element 145 or mating coding element 445 and the polarization element or mating polarization element 146.

[0086] In the present embodiment, this is implemented as follows: In the case of the high-current plug connector, this relative position is formed between the coding molding 145 and the polarization portion 146; in the mating plug connector, it is formed between the polarization recess 445 and the mating polarization portion 446.

[0087] If these relative positions coincide with one another, the high-current plug connector 1, 1′ can be mated with the mating plug connector 4. Moreover, the mating plug connector 4 with its angled cable outlet 42 can be aligned in a flexible manner.

[0088] Even where combinations of different aspects or features are shown in the figures in each case, it is clear to a person skilled in the art—unless indicated otherwise—that the combinations shown and discussed are not the only possible combinations. In particular, mutually corresponding units or feature complexes from different exemplary embodiments can be interchanged with one another.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0089] 1, 1′ High-current plug connector

[0090] 11 Plug contact, pin contact

[0091] 113 Screw thread, external thread

[0092] 12 Touch protection

[0093] 13, 13′ Screw-nuts

[0094] 131 Screw-nut portion

[0095] 132 Plate-shaped separating collar

[0096] 116 Plug-in region, contact pin

[0097] 117 Connection region

[0098] 118 Contact spring, annularly designed helical spring

[0099] 14 Insulating body

[0100] 140 Cavity

[0101] 143 Pivot pin

[0102] 145, 145′, 145″ Coding element, coding molding

[0103] 146 Polarization element, polarization portion

[0104] 148 Circumferential collar

[0105] 15 Mounting housing

[0106] 150 Screw passages

[0107] 154 Hollow cylindrical sleeve

[0108] 156 Fastening flange

[0109] 18 Locking clip

[0110] 4 Angled mating plug connector

[0111] 41 Mating plug contact, socket contact

[0112] 411 Contact socket

[0113] 413 Cable connection region, crimp connection

[0114] 42 Cable outlet

[0115] 421 Holding plate

[0116] 43 Cable gland

[0117] 44 Mating insulating body

[0118] 440 Plug contact opening

[0119] 441 Mating plug-in region of the mating insulating body

[0120] 442 Socket touch protection

[0121] 443 Locking pin

[0122] 445 Mating coding element, coding recess

[0123] 446 Mating polarization element, mating polarization portion

[0124] 46 Mating insulating body

[0125] S Pin contact axis

[0126] R, R′ Curved double-headed arrow, symbolizing the rotational/pivoting movement