Plug connector contact carrier having crimp and screw contact element chambers

Abstract

The invention relates to a plug connector contact carrier (1) for selectively populating with electrical crimp contact elements (10) or electrical screw contact elements (20), comprising a plurality of contact chambers (2) for the contact elements, which contact chambers are provided in a contact grid, wherein the contact carrier has insertion openings (11) for inserting the contact elements into the contact chambers and wherein furthermore the contact chambers are property designed in such a way that selectively either a crimp contact element or a screw contact element can be inserted into and mounted in the contact chamber.

Claims

1. A plug connector contact carrier, comprising: a plurality of contact chambers to receive contact elements provided in a contact grid, and a plurality of insertion openings, each of which is aligned with each of the plurality of contact chambers for inserting the contact elements into the contact chambers, wherein each of the plurality of contact chambers are configured to receive a crimp contact element and a screw contact element, and selectively receive the crimp contact element or the screw contact element.

2. The plug connector contact carrier of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of contact chambers has a common bearing surface for the crimp contact element or the screw contact element to bear against.

3. The plug connector contact carrier of claim 1, wherein the plug connector contact carrier has an end side, a contact insertion side opposite the end side, two longitudinal sides which connect the end side and the contact insertion side, and at least one lateral connecting channel having an opening on one of the longitudinal sides and extending to the contact chamber for access thereto.

4. The plug connector contact carrier of claim 1, further comprising at least one detachable holding cover which functions to secure the crimp contact elements that are mounted in the contact carrier.

5. The plug connector contact carrier of claim 4, wherein the holding cover has a head plate with a plurality of openings which are arranged in a contact grid that aligns with the contact grid of the contact carrier.

6. The plug connector contact carrier of claim 5, wherein the holding cover is U-shaped in cross section and has two adjacent limb sides which project away from the head plate in an orthogonal manner.

7. The plug connector contact carrier of claim 5, wherein the holding cover has arms which project away from the holding cover and which are attached to the holding cover at the plurality of openings such that the arms protrude into the contact chambers when the holding cover is mounted to the contact carrier.

8. The plug connector contact carrier of claim 7, wherein the arms have a bent or angled profile.

9. The plug connector contact carrier of claim 7, wherein the arms are arranged between the plurality of openings and the adjacent limb sides.

10. The plug connector contact carrier of claim 6, wherein the adjacent limb sides are provided with latching lugs which face the plug connector contact carrier and which latch to corresponding latching recesses which are provided on longitudinal sides of the plug connector contact carrier.

11. The plug connector contact carrier of claim 5, further comprising a second set of openings in the head plate of the holding cover adjacent to the openings which are arranged in the contact grid.

12. The plug connector contact carrier as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a detachable holding cover having a wire protection means to provide the screw contact elements that are mounted in the contact carrier with wire protection.

13. The plug connector contact carrier of in claim 12, wherein the holding cover has a plurality of openings which are aligned with the contact grid of the plug connector contact carrier.

14. The plug connector contact carrier of claim 13, wherein the holding cover has a plurality of spring sheets that are mounted in receiving elements on the holding cover and which project from the holding cover such that the spring sheets protrude into the contact chambers when the holding cover is mounted to the contact carrier.

15. The plug connector contact carrier of claim 13, wherein the plurality of openings in the holding cover are elliptical openings for which the large half-axes are arranged on a line in the longitudinal extent of the plug connector contact carrier.

16. The plug connector contact carrier as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of contact chambers are arranged in two parallel rows with a fixed contact grid.

Description

(1) Generally preferred refinements and developments are also explained in connection with the explanation of the preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows an overview of different plug connector contact carriers with and without holding covers in perspective views;

(3) FIG. 2 shows different views of the plug connector contact carrier shown in FIG. 1 in a plan view, a side view, a view from above and a view from below and a sectional view;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a holding cover which is designed for the crimp contact elements in a perspective view from above, a perspective view from below, a plan view and a sectional view and also a side view;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a holding cover which is designed for the screw contact elements in a side view, in a view from above, in a further side view and in a perspective view from above and a perspective view from below;

(6) FIG. 5 shows the holding cover shown in FIG. 4 in a lined-up production position; and

(7) FIG. 6 shows an overview of different views of a plug connector contact carrier according to the invention.

(8) FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the plug connector contact carrier 1 according to the invention in several perspective views. In said figure, the plug connector contact carrier 1 is either free of or fitted with a holding cover 30 for crimp contacts or a holding cover 40 for screw contacts. The contact carrier 1 has two rows of contact chambers 2. Contact chamber identification means 7 are fitted adjacent to the contact chambers 2.

(9) As can further be seen in the various views of FIG. 2, the present exemplary embodiment in each case has a first row with eight contact chambers 2 and a second row with eight contact chambers 2, which second row is arranged parallel to said first row. The contact chambers 2 are accessible via insertion openings 11 into which selectively either a crimp contact element 10 or a screw contact element 20 can be inserted. Therefore, according to the invention, the contact chambers 2 are designed such that, irrespective of the different contact element form, selectively either a crimp contact element of a first contact form, as it were a first contact type, can be inserted into the contact chamber 2 of the plug connector contact carrier 1 or else, as an alternative, that is to say selectively, a screw contact element of a differing contact form, that is a different contact type, can be accommodated in the contact chamber 2 in a manner in which it can be inserted into or mounted in the contact chamber 2.

(10) As is further schematically shown in the sectional view of FIG. 2, the contact chamber 2 has a common bearing surface 3 for either the crimp contact element 10 or the screw contact element 20 to bear against.

(11) Therefore, the plug connector contact carrier 1 has an end side 4, a contact insertion side 5 which is situated opposite the end side 4, and two longitudinal sides 6a, 6b which connect the end side 4 and the contact insertion side 5, and also two transverse sides 6d, 6e.

(12) As is clear, inter alia, from the sectional view of FIG. 2 and also from the perspective views of FIG. 1, the plug connector contact carrier 1 in each case has a connecting channel 21 which is routed out laterally and which opens out into an opening 22 on one of the longitudinal sides 6a, 6b.

(13) Therefore, these connecting channels 21 constitute access points for a screwdriver which can be inserted into the connecting channel 21 from the longitudinal sides 6a or 6b in order to there turn a screw or a screw terminal 8 and to electrically connect a cable end which is inserted into the connection region of a screw contact element 20 to the screw contact element 20.

(14) FIG. 6 shows different side views, plan views and sectional views of an embodiment of a plug connector contact carrier 1 according to the invention.

(15) The manner in which the contact chamber 2 is designed and the manner in which the bearing surface 3 which is defined in the contact chambers 2 is fitted is clear from the sectional views in particular.

(16) In the central sectional view of FIG. 6, the plug connector contact carrier 1 is provided with a holding cover 40 according to the invention as illustrated in FIG. 4. The holding cover 40 has openings 41 which are provided in the contact grid of the plug connector contact carrier 1. Furthermore, wire protection means 43 are provided on the bottom of the holding cover 40. The wire protection means 43 inserted into or mounted in receiving elements 42 which are provided on the holding cover 40. The spring sheets 43 project out of the holding cover 40 such that said spring sheets each protrude into the contact chambers 2 in the mounted state of the holding cover 40, as is shown in the central view of FIG. 6.

(17) In the process, the spring sheets 43 and therefore wire protection means 43 project into the contact chamber 2 such that the screw of the screw terminal 8, by way of its end, meets the wire protection means 43 and in this way damage to the wire can be reliably prevented.

(18) As an alternative, the plug connector contact carrier 1 according to the invention can also be used without the above-described holding cover 40, as is shown by way of example in the upper view and in the upper sectional view of FIG. 6.

(19) As an alternative, the plug connector contact carrier 1 according to the invention can also be populated with crimp contact elements 10. A schematic view of this can be found in the lower sectional view of FIG. 6 and in the lower views of FIG. 6. Here, the plug connector contact carrier 1 is provided with a holding cover 30 as shown in FIG. 3.

(20) The holding cover 30 for fixing crimp contact elements 10 in the plug connector contact carrier 1 comprises a head plate 31 on which two limb sides 33a, 33b are provided on the sides in each case. A respective arm 34 is located between the limb sides 33a, 33b, adjacent to the openings 32 which are arranged in the head plate 31. The arms 34 are bent and, in their mounted position, protrude into the contact chamber 2 in order to be supported, by way of their insertion-side end, on a latching projection of the crimp contact element 10 there. This ensures that the crimp contact element 10 which is inserted into the contact chamber 2 is securely held in its mounting position. This is implemented, in particular, by the limb sides 33a, 33b being provided with latching lugs 35 on their sides which face the plug connector contact carrier 1 for the purpose of latching with corresponding latching recesses which are provided on the corresponding longitudinal sides 6a, 6b of the plug connector contact carrier. In the embodiment of the invention present here, the connecting channels 21 at the same time form the latching recesses for the latching lugs 35.

(21) The for the holding cover 30 for the crimp contact elements 10 further has, in addition to the two rows of openings 32, in each case adjacent to the outer edge, a row of openings 36 through which the above-described contact chamber identification means 7 remain visible when the holding cover 30 is mounted on the plug connector contact carrier 1, as is clear from the lower view of FIG. 6.

(22) FIG. 5 shows a further advantageous aspect of the present invention by way of an exemplary embodiment of a holding cover 40 which can be arranged such that it can be lined up. Since mounting the wire protection means 43 in the receiving elements 42 is complicated, the configuration of a corresponding grid of the openings 41 in the holding cover 40 can ensure that different designs of holding covers 40 can be lined up and, by means of lining up in each case between adjacent holding covers, the same contact spacing X is produced, as is the case within a holding cover 40. The tolerances can be captured, in particular, in this way in the longitudinal direction when the openings 41 are in the form of elliptical openings or oval openings in the holding cover 40.

(23) However, the invention is not restricted to the preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention indicated above in respect of its design. Rather, it is possible to provide a number of variants which make use of the illustrated solution even in the case of a fundamentally different kind of embodiment.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

Plug Connector Contact Carrier

(24) 1 Plug connector contact carrier 2 Contact chambers 3 Bearing surface 4 End side 5 Contact insertion side 6a, 6b Longitudinal sides 6d, 6e Transverse sides 7 Contact chamber identification means 8 Screw terminal 10 Crimp contact element 11 Insertion openings 20 Screw contact element 21 Connecting channel 22 Openings 30 Holding cover for crimp contacts 31 Head plate 32 Openings 33a, 33b Limb sides 34 Arms 35 Latching lugs 36 Openings 40 Holding cover for screw contacts 41 Openings 42 Receiving elements 43 Wire protection means/spring sheets X Contact spacing