ADAPTER HOUSING FOR A CONTACT INSERT FOR FIXING ON A TOP-HAT RAIL

Abstract

An adapter housing is provided for receiving a contact carrier, wherein the adapter housing has on its outer wall two connecting structures or means, molded on opposite one another and complementing one another, for reversibly connecting to an adapter housing of the same type and/or to a top-hat rail fixing element and wherein the adapter housing has on the inserting side at least one locking device or means for reversibly locking the adapter housing to a further adapter housing. A system comprising of a first adapter housing, with a first contact carrier received therein, a second adapter housing, with a second contact carrier received therein, and a top-hat rail is also provided.

Claims

1. An adapter housing for receiving a contact carrier, comprising: two connecting structures integrally formed on an outer wall of the adapter housing opposite one another and configured to be complementary to one another, for reversibly connecting to a similar adapter housing and/or to a top-hat rail fixing element; and at least one locking device provided on a mating side of the adapter housing for reversibly locking the adapter housing to a further adapter housing.

2. The adapter housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first one of the connecting structures consists of two hook-shaped connecting contours and a connecting lug arranged between said connecting contours, and a second one of the connecting structures consists of two connecting grooves matching the hook-shaped connecting contours, and a connecting pin arranged between said connecting grooves and matching the connecting lug.

3. The adapter housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adapter housing has two locking devices integrally formed opposite one another for reversibly locking the adapter housing to a second adapter housing.

4. The adapter housing as claimed in claim 3, wherein the locking devices are each formed as frame-shaped receptacles or as locking lugs pointing in the mating direction.

5. The adapter housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adapter housing has a fastening device for reversibly fastening the contact carrier in the adapter housing.

6. The adapter housing as claimed in claim 5, wherein the fastening device means is designed as a separate component and can be reversibly latched on an outside of the adapter housing.

7. The adapter housing as claimed in claim 6, wherein the adapter housing has an opening and in that the fastening device has a peg, wherein the peg of the fastening device reaches through the opening of the adapter housing.

8. The adapter housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adapter housing is formed substantially as a hollow cuboid with a rectangular cross-section.

9. The adapter housing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adapter housing has a top-hat rail fixing element for fixing the adapter housing on a top-hat rail.

10. The adapter housing as claimed in claim 9, wherein the top-hat rail fixing element has two connecting arrangements, each for reversibly connecting to an adapter element, and in that the connecting arrangement each consist of two connecting grooves and at least one connecting pin arranged between said connecting grooves.

11. The adapter housing as claimed in claim 10, wherein the two connecting arrangements of the top-hat rail fixing element, as seen in the mating direction, are arranged behind one another.

12. The adapter housing as claimed in claim 9, wherein the top-hat rail fixing element has at least one opening via which the top-hat rail fixing element can be fixed to an appliance wall.

13. The adapter housing as claimed in claim 9, wherein the top-hat rail fixing element is designed as a separate component and can be reversibly fastened on the outside of the adapter housing.

14. A system comprising a first adapter housing as claimed in claim 1, with a first contact carrier received therein, a second adapter housing as claimed in claim 1 with a second contact carrier received therein, and a top-hat rail.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail below. In the drawings:

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a first inventive adapter housing,

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a further perspective illustration of the first inventive adapter housing,

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a perspective illustration of a second inventive adapter housing,

[0025] FIG. 4 shows a further perspective illustration of the second inventive adapter housing,

[0026] FIG. 5 shows a perspective illustration of a contact insert or carrier with pin contact elements,

[0027] FIG. 6 shows a perspective illustration of a contact insert or carrier with socket contact elements,

[0028] FIG. 7 shows an exploded drawing of a system comprising or consisting of a top-hat rail, a top-hat rail fixing element, a first and a second adapter housing and a further exemplary embodiment of a first and a second adapter housing,

[0029] FIG. 8 shows a perspective illustration of the first and second adapter housing, each with a first and second contact insert or carrier integrated therein,

[0030] FIG. 9 shows a perspective illustration of the first and second adapter housing, which are fastened on a top-hat rail via the top-hat rail fixing element, and

[0031] FIG. 10 shows a system comprising or consisting of a plurality of inventive adapter housings, which are fastened in an array on a top-hat rail.

[0032] The figures may contain partially simplified, schematic illustrations. Identical reference signs are sometimes used for elements which are similar, but possibly not identical. Various views of similar elements could be drawn to different scales.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first exemplary embodiment of a first adapter housing 1.

[0034] The adapter housing 1 shown here is provided for receiving a contact insert or carrier 2. The contact insert or carrier 2 is equipped with pin contact elements 3. Such a contact insert or carrier 2 is therefore also referred to among experts as a pin contact insert or carrier 2 or male contact insert or carrier 2. Since the contact insert or carrier 2 is already known from the prior art, it is not described in greater detail below.

[0035] FIGS. 3 and 4 show a first exemplary embodiment of a second adapter housing 1′. The adapter housing 1′ shown here is provided for receiving a contact insert or carrier 2′. The contact insert or carrier 2′ is equipped with socket contact elements (not shown). Such a contact insert or carrier is therefore also referred to among experts as a socket contact insert or carrier 2′ or female contact insert or carrier 2′. Since the contact insert or carrier 2′ is already known from the prior art, it is not described in greater detail below.

[0036] The contact inserts or carriers 2, 2′ can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. Approximately in the center, the contact inserts or carriers 2, 2′ have a bore with an internal thread in which a screw 16 is screwed. This screw 16 is used to fix the contact insert or carrier 2, 2′ in a plug connector housing (not shown).

[0037] Another further exemplary embodiment of a first and second adapter hosing 1″, 1′″ can be seen in each case in FIGS. 7 and 10. This further exemplary embodiment of the adapter housing 1″, 1′″ is provided for receiving plug connector modules 9 which are predominantly used in heavy industry plug connectors and are already sufficiently known from the prior art.

[0038] The adapter housings 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″ are formed substantially as hollow cuboids with a rectangular cross-section. The internal geometry is adapted to the external geometry of the respective contact insert or carrier 2, 2′. The adapter housing 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″ has on its outer wall two connecting structures or means, integrally formed opposite one another and configured to be complementary to one another, for reversibly connecting to a similar adapter housing 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″ and/or to a top-hat rail fixing element 4.

[0039] A first one of the connecting structures or means of the adapter housing 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″ comprises or consists of two hook-shaped connecting contours 5 and a connecting lug 6 arranged between said connecting contours. A second one of the connecting structures or means comprises or consists of two connecting grooves 7 matching the hook-shaped connecting contours, and a connecting pin 8 arranged between said connecting grooves 7 and matching the connecting lug 6.

[0040] It can be seen in FIG. 10 how a plurality of adapter housings 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″ are connected to one another and fastened on a top-hat rail 11. When connecting two adapter housings 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″, the hook-shaped connecting contours 5 of the one adapter housing 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″ engage in the matching connecting grooves 7 of the other adapter housing 1, 1′ 1″, 1′″. The recess 10 of the connecting lug 6 of the one adapter housing 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″ then snaps over the respective connecting pin 8 of the other (adjacent) adapter housing 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″, thereby realizing a secure connection between the adapter housings 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″. To release this connection, the connecting lug 6, for example with the aid of a screwdriver, can be comfortably pried off the connecting pin 8. However, it is also possible to pry the connecting lug 6 off the connecting pin 8 manually, without a screwdriver. The adapter housings, 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″ can then be simply pulled apart in opposite directions. The connection and release of an adapter housing 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″ to and from a top-hat rail fixing element 4 takes place analogously. To this end, the top-hat rail fixing element 4 is equipped with two pairs of connecting grooves 7, which are arranged behind one another.

[0041] The adapter housing 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″ has on the mating side at least one locking device or means for reversibly locking the adapter housing 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″ to a further adapter housing 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″. The locking device or means in the case of the first adapter housing 1, 1″ are each formed as frame-shaped receptacles 12. In the case of the second adapter housing 1′, 1′″, the locking device or means are formed as locking lugs 13 pointing in the mating direction SR′, each with locking hooks 14 at the end. During the joining of the adapter housings 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″, in each case in the mating direction SR, SR′, the locking lugs 13 of the second adapter housing 1′, 1′″ engage in the frame-shaped receptacles 12 of the first adapter housing 1, 1″. In this case, the locking lugs 13 are firstly bent back slightly and then snap back, whereby the locking hooks 14 engage with an undercut of the frame-shaped receptacle 12. Two mutually locked adapter housings 1, 1′ can be seen in FIG. 9, for example.

[0042] The locking lugs 13 can subsequently be pried out of the frame-shaped receptacle 12, for example with the aid of a screwdriver. The locking of the adapter housings 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″ can thus be released again. The adapter housings 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″ can be pulled apart again in opposition to their respective mating direction SR, SR′, whereby the mating connection of the contact carriers 2, 2′ is also released again.

[0043] Two adapter housings 1, 1′ with a fastening device or means 15 for reversibly fastening the contact carrier 2, 2′ in the respective adapter housing 1, 1′ can be seen in FIG. 8. The fastening device or means 15 is designed as a separate component and, for illustrative purposes, is again illustrated separately on the top right in FIG. 8. The fastening device or means 15 can be reversibly fastened on the outside of the adapter housing 1, 1′. To this end, the fastening device or means 15 has two outer latching arms with latching hooks 17, which engage with a specifically provided undercut 18 of the respective adapter housing 1, 1′. The fastening device or means 15 has a peg 19. The adapter housing 1, 1′ has an opening 20 provided for the peg 19. The opening 20 of the adapter housing 1, 1′ correlates to the screw opening of the contact insert or carrier 2, 2′ in the inserted state. The peg 19 of the fastening device or means 15 projects through the opening 20 of the adapter housing 1, 1′ and engages in an opening (screw opening) of the contact insert or carrier 2, 2′, whereby the contact insert or carrier 2, 2′ is reversibly fastened in the adapter housing. The fastening device or means 15 can be released from the adapter housing 1, 1′ again with the aid of a suitable tool, for example a screwdriver, and the contact insert or carrier 2, 2′ can be removed again. A tool-less removal of the fastening device or means 15 is also possible. Features which are already present in the contact insert or carrier 2, 2′—in this case, the screw opening—are used for fastening the contact insert or carrier 2, 2′ in the adapter housing 1, 1′. Identical contact inserts or carriers 2, 2′ can therefore be used in the plug connector housing in the conventional manner, but also in the adapter housing 1, 1′.

[0044] The housing of an adapter housing 1 can be extended on the cable connection side and form a semi-circular depression 21. Conductors (not shown) which are connected to the contact insert or carrier 2 can be fastened in this depression 21, for example via a cable connector. Strain relief is thus provided for the conductors or cables connected to the contact insert or carrier 2.

[0045] The top-hat rail fixing element 4 has openings 22. The top-hat rail fixing element 4 can be assembled on an appliance wall, for example, via these openings 22. The area of application of the adapter housing 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″ is thus further expanded. The top-hat rail fixing element 4 has latching contours 23 with which the top-hat rail fixing element 4 can be fixed on a top-hat rail 11. The contours 23 are configured for commercially available top-hat rails 11.

[0046] One application of the inventive adapter housing 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″ is illustrated in FIG. 10. Multiple pairs of adapter housings 1, 1′ together with integrated and mutually mated contact inserts or carriers 2, 2′ can be arranged in a row along the x axis via the top-hat rail fixing element 4. At the same time, further adapter housings 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″, which extend along the y axis, can be connected on the other side of the respective adapter housings 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″. Such an arrangement of adapter housings 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″ is also referred to as an array. An array of any design can be generated with the inventive adapter housing 1, 1′, 1″, 1′″. The installation space, for example in a control cabinet, is optimally used.

[0047] Even where combinations of different aspects or features of the invention 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. Put another way, aspects and features of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments.

[0048] 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.