Contact carrier and plug connector for a shielded hybrid contact assembly

Abstract

In order to receive eight electrical crimp contacts, namely four electrical signal contacts and four electrical power contacts, and a Y-shaped shielding element in a hybrid electrical plug connector, according to the invention a contact carrier is designed in multiple parts, in particular three parts, wherein the signal contact receivers are located in the first contact carrier part. The central contact can be positioned on the first or second contact carrier part. When fastening these two contact carrier parts to one another, the central contact can thus be fixed between the two contact carrier parts. Furthermore, the Y-shaped shielding element is held on a holder of the first contact carrier part. This assembly is jointly inserted into the sleeve-shaped third contact carrier part so that the central contact is positioned with its plug-in region substantially centrally in the plug-in face of the plug connector.

Claims

1.-16. (canceled)

17. A contact carrier (1) for a plug connector, for receiving at least four electrical crimp contacts (2), of which at least two are designed as signal contacts (21) and at least a further two are designed as power contacts (22), wherein the contact carrier (1) has at least two signal contact receptacles (110) and at least two power contact receptacles (120) and is furthermore designed in multiple parts, wherein a first contact carrier part (11) comprises the at least two signal contact receptacles (110) and a second contact carrier part (12) comprises at least one of the power contact receptacles (120), wherein a further one of the power contact receptacles is arranged as a central contact receptacle (120′) in the contact carrier (1), between the first (11) and the second (12) contact carrier part, for receiving one of the power contacts, which is a central contact (22′), so that the entire contact carrier (1) has a total of at least four contact receptacles (110, 120, 120′), wherein at least one of the two said contact carrier parts (11, 12) comprises a holder (114), by means of which a Y-shaped receiving slot (1104) is formed in the contact carrier (1) so that a Y-shaped shield element (4) can be held on the holder (114), by means of which shield element at least two signal contact receptacles (110) can be separated both from each other and from the power contact receptacles (120, 120′).

18. The contact carrier (1) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first contact carrier part (11) comprises two pairs of signal contact receptacles (110), which are separated from each other, at least in certain areas, by part of the Y-shaped receiving slot (1104) and can thus be separated by a first portion (41) of the Y-shaped shield element (4).

19. The contact carrier (1) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the second contact carrier part (12) comprises at least three power contact receptacles (120, 120′), which are separated from the signal contact receptacles (110), at least in certain areas, by a further part of the receiving slot (1104), and can each be separated by a second (42) or third (43) portion of the shield element (4).

20. The contact carrier (1) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the second contact carrier part (12) has a contact surface (124) in which the central contact receptacle (120′) is arranged.

21. The contact carrier (1) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the central contact receptacle (120′) is arranged on the holder (114′) of the first contact carrier part (11′).

22. The contact carrier (1) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first (11, 11′) and the second (12, 12′) contact carrier part can be fixed to each other.

23. The contact carrier (1) as claimed in claim 22, wherein a third contact carrier part (13) is formed by a sleeve with an insertion opening (130) on a cable connection side, through which the first (11, 11′) and the second contact carrier part (12, 12′) in a fixed-together state, together with the Y-shaped shield element (4) held thereon and the crimp contacts (2) furthermore fixed thereto, can be pushed into the sleeve-shaped third contact carrier part (13).

24. The contact carrier (1) as claimed in claim 23, wherein the third contact carrier part (13) has, opposite the insertion opening (130), a mating portion (131) with through-openings (1301, 1302, 1302′, 1304), which are suitable for guiding-through mating areas (211, 221) of the said crimp contacts (2) and for guiding-through a mating-side portion of the Y-shaped shield element (4).

25. The contact carrier (1) as claimed in claim 24, wherein one of the through-openings, namely a central through-opening (1302′), serves for guiding-through the central contact (22′) on the mating side and is arranged substantially centrally in the mating portion (131) of the contact carrier (1), as seen from the mating direction.

26. The contact carrier (1) as claimed in claim 17, wherein the contact carrier (1) has a cylindrical basic shape and is provided for use in a circular plug connector.

27. A system, comprising the contact carrier (1) as claimed in claim 17, a Y-shaped shield element (4) and eight crimp contacts (2), of which four are designed as signal contacts (21) and of which a further four are designed as power contacts (22), wherein the crimp contacts (2) each comprise a cylindrical mating area (211, 221), which is formed as a contact pin in each case, wherein the contact pins (211) of the signal contacts (21) have a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the contact pins (221) of the power contacts (22).

28. A system of a contact carrier (1) as claimed in claim 24, a Y-shaped shield element (4) and eight crimp contacts (2), of which four are designed as power contacts and of which a further four are designed as signal contacts, and wherein the crimp contacts (2) each comprise a hollow cylindrical mating area by means of which a respective contact socket is formed, wherein the contact sockets of the power contacts have an internal diameter which is greater than the internal diameter of the contact sockets of the signal contacts.

29. The system as claimed in claim 28, wherein the signal contacts (21) are integrated in the signal contact receptacles (110) of the first contact carrier part (11), wherein the power contacts (22, 22′) are integrated in the power contact receptacles (120) of the first (11) and/or the second (12) contact carrier part, wherein the Y-shaped shield element (4) is fixed to the first contact carrier part (11), wherein the first (11, 11′) and the second (12, 12′) contact carrier part are latched to one another, wherein the first (11, 11′) and the second (12, 12′) contact carrier part in a fixed-together state, together with the Y-shaped shield element (4) and the crimp contacts (2), are inserted into the third contact carrier part (13) designed in the shape of a sleeve, wherein the mating areas (211, 221) of the crimp contacts (2) and a mating-side portion of the shield cross (4) are arranged at least partially in the through-openings (1301, 1302, 1304) of the mating portion (131) of the third contact carrier part (13).

30. The system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the central contact (22′) is received in the central contact receptacle (120′) and thus arranged substantially centrally in the contact carrier (1).

31. A plug connector, comprising the system as claimed in claim 27, a plug connector housing (7) with a mating side locking means (8) and a cable gland (6) and at least one sealing element (500, 510, 520).

32. A method for assembling the system as claimed in claim 27, comprising the following steps: mounting the Y-shaped shield element (4) on the holder (14, 14′) of the multi-part contact carrier (1); crimping electrical conductors (52, 52′) to the crimp contacts (2); placing the central contact (22′) in the associated power contact receptacle (120′) of the multi-part contact carrier (1); mutually fixing the first and the second contact carrier part (11, 11′, 12, 12′) to each other; incorporating the remaining power contacts (22) in the power contact receptacles (120) of the second contact carrier part (12) and the four signal contacts (21) in the signal contact receptacles (110) of the second contact carrier part (11, 11′); jointly pushing the first (11, 11′) contact carrier part and the second (12, 12′) contact carrier part, fixed thereto, with the Y-shaped shield element (4) held thereon and the crimp contacts (2) received therein into the third contact carrier part (13) through the insertion opening (130).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail below. In the drawings:

[0053] FIGS. 1a-d show a three-part contact carrier;

[0054] FIGS. 2a, b show two crimp contacts;

[0055] FIG. 3 shows a Y-shaped shield element;

[0056] FIGS. 4a, b show the first contact carrier part with the shield element;

[0057] FIG. 5a shows a multi-wire cable with crimped crimp contacts;

[0058] FIG. 5b shows the cable with a central contact placed in the second contact carrier part;

[0059] FIGS. 6a, b show the first contact carrier part in a second embodiment;

[0060] FIG. 7a, b show the above-mentioned contact carrier part with the shield element and the central contact;

[0061] FIGS. 8a, b show the above-mentioned arrangement with the shield element additionally held thereon and the second contact carrier part latched thereto in a second embodiment;

[0062] FIGS. 9a-d show the latching mechanism between the first and the second contact carrier part;

[0063] FIGS. 10a-c show the arrangement of FIG. 8 with the remaining contacts additionally placed therein;

[0064] FIG. 11a shows the above-mentioned arrangement with the third contact carrier part in the state for insertion;

[0065] FIGS. 11b-c show the above-mentioned arrangement in the inserted state;

[0066] FIG. 12a shows the above-mentioned arrangement with a shield connecting element;

[0067] FIG. 12b shows the above-mentioned arrangement with a selected sealing ring;

[0068] FIGS. 12c-e show the above-mentioned arrangement with a plug connector housing, a cable gland a mating-side union nut.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0069] The figures contain partially simplified, schematic illustrations. Identical reference sings are sometimes used for elements which are similar but possibly not identical. Different views of similar elements may be drawn to different scales.

[0070] FIGS. 1a-d show a three-part contact carrier 1, which consists of a first 11, a second 12 and a third 13 contact carrier part.

[0071] FIG. 1a shows the first contact carrier part 11 in a first embodiment. This contact carrier part 11 has substantially the basic shape of a three-sided isosceles prism, whereof the cross-section is therefore formed by an isosceles triangle. Two outwardly open signal contact receptacles 110 are arranged in each leg surface of the prism-like basic shape. At their common limb edge, a cuboidal latching molding 118 is molded in a central portion in the mating direction. A Y-shaped receiving slot 1104 adjoins this latching molding 118 on the mating side. The Y-shaped receiving slot 1104 is delimited by a holder 114 on the base side.

[0072] FIG. 1b shows the second contact carrier part 12 in a first embodiment. This has four power contact receptacles 120, 120′, of which one is designed as a central contact receptacle 120′ and is arranged in a contact surface 124, which, when joined to the first contact carrier part 11, adjoins the base surface thereof and the holder 114 of the base surface. Opposite the contact surface 124, the second contact carrier part 12 has an outer contour which, in cross-section, extends circle segment-like and in which the further three power contact receptacles 120 are arranged such that they are outwardly open.

[0073] FIGS. 1c and 1d show the third contact carrier part 13, which has a substantially sleeve-shaped design. On the mating side, the third contact carrier part 13 has a mating portion 131 with a mating side 1310 through which through-openings 1301, 1302, 1302′, 1304 extend. These are signal contact through-openings 1301, power contact through-openings 1302 with a central contact through-opening 1302′ and a substantially Y-shaped shield element through-opening 1304. In this case, “substantially” means that the mutually mirror-symmetrical portions of the Y shape bend away from each other in their end areas.

[0074] Adjoining the mating portion 131, the third contact carrier part 13 has a sleeve-shaped base portion 138 with an insertion opening 130 on the cable connection side, which is arranged opposite the mating surface 1310. Adjoining this insertion opening 130, a latching slot 1308, which is open on the cable connection side, is arranged in the base portion 138 such that it extends in the direction of the mating side. Molded thereon on both sides and protruding laterally into the latching slot 1308, mutually facing latching hooks 133 are incorporated in the base portion 138 at the slot edges. The latching hooks 133 have angled slide portions on the cable connection side.

[0075] FIGS. 2a and 2b show two types of crimp contact 2, i.e. plug contacts with crimp connections 212, 222 on the cable connection side.

[0076] Contact pins with substantially cylindrical mating areas 211, 221 are arranged opposite the crimp connections 212, 222. The contact pins are rounded at their mating areas 211, 221 on the mating side. The contact pin of the power contact 22 furthermore has a cylindrical design. The contact pin of the signal contact 21 extends cylindrically at least in its mating area 211, but slightly conically in at least a further portion which is not shown in more detail.

[0077] FIG. 3 shows a Y-shaped shield element 4 which has a substantially mirror-symmetrical design, i.e. apart from minor deviations.

[0078] This shield element comprises a first 41, a second 42 and a third 43 portion. The two mutually mirror-symmetrical portions, namely the second 42 and the third 43 portion of the Y shape, extend firstly at an angle to each other and then bend away from each other with anti-twist surfaces 423, 433 molded at their end areas. On their outer areas, the anti-twist surfaces 423, 433 each additionally have a stop step 424, of which only one can be seen in the drawing since the other is covered by the first portion 41 of the shield element 4.

[0079] The first portion 41 of the shield element 4 lies substantially in the plane of symmetry thereof. A stop molding 48, which also fulfills the function of a ground connecting element below, is molded on the outer edge of said shield element,

[0080] FIGS. 4a and 4b show the first contact carrier part 11 together with the Y-shaped shield element 4, which is pushed into the Y-shaped receiving slot 1104 of the first contact carrier part 11 and thus held on the holding portion 114 thereof. In the pushed-in state, the stop molding 48 of the shield element 4 strikes the cuboidal latching molding 118 of the first contact carrier part 11 and thus prevents it from being pushed in further.

[0081] FIG. 5a shows a cable 5, namely a so-called hybrid cable, which is notable in that it has both signal wires 51 for electrical signal transmission and power wires 52 for electrical power transmission. This cable 5 has a total of eight wires 50, namely four signal wires 51 and four power wires 52, which are each surrounded at least by electrical insulation and possibly also by a shield. Each of the wires 51, 52 is crimped to a crimp connection 212, 222 of a crimp contact 21, 22, 22′ in a stripped area

[0082] Only one power wire 52′ is illustrated in FIG. 5b; the other power wires 52 are not shown for reasons of clarity. This power wire 52′ is connected to the crimp connection 22 of a power contact, namely a central contact 22′ The central contact 52′ is placed in the central recess 120′ of the second contact carrier part 12 (first embodiment). It is readily conceivable that, by joining the second contact carrier part 12 to the first contact carrier part 11 of FIG. 4b, the central contact 22′ is automatically arranged substantially centrally in the mating face (see FIGS. 1a and b).

[0083] However, a second embodiment of the contact carrier shall be presented below.

[0084] FIG. 6a shows a first contact carrier part 11′ in a second embodiment. This differs from the previous contact carrier part 11 in that the central contact receptacle 120′ is arranged on its holder 114. That is to say, in this design, the central contact 22′ can latch to the holder 114 of the first contact carrier part 11.

[0085] As revealed in FIGS. 7a and b, the signal contact receptacles 110 are still separated from each other by the Y-shaped shield element 4 since, in this regard, the holder 114 is located on the side with the power contact receptacles 120.

[0086] FIG. 8a shows the first 11 and second 12 contact carrier part with the Y-shaped shield element 4 and the inserted central contact 22′ in the first embodiment.

[0087] FIG. 8b shows the first 11′ and second 12′ contact carrier part with the Y-shaped shield element 4 and the inserted central contact 22′ in the second embodiment. In this case, the function of the stop step 424 can be seen particularly clearly. The stop step 424 prevents the second contact carrier part 12′ being displaced in the direction of the mating side, i.e. to the left in the drawing.

[0088] Using the example of the second embodiment, FIGS. 9a-d show a latching mechanism for fixing the first 11′ and the second 12′ contact carrier part to each other.

[0089] FIGS. 9a and 9b show the first 11′ and second 12′ contact carrier part in the latched state in a section through the portion on the cable connection side.

[0090] To this end, in a portion on the cable connection side, the first contact carrier part 11′ has, mutually opposed at its two limb ends, a respective latching recess 113′ which has a hollow cylinder segment-like design in the present example and is shown explicitly in FIGS. 9d and c.

[0091] As a counter-piece to this, a hollow cylinder segment-like latching molding 123′ is illustrated explicitly in FIG. 9d.

[0092] It is readily conceivable that a latching of these two contact carrier parts 11′, 12′ to each other is enabled via the elasticity of the plastic material, in particular as a result of a slight deformation of the second contact carrier part 12′.

[0093] FIGS. 10 a-b show this latched arrangement with the Y-shaped shield element and inserted crimp contacts 2, in the first (FIG. 10a) and the second (FIG. 10b) embodiment.

[0094] FIG. 10c shows this arrangement without the crimp contacts 2 in cross-section. It is clear from this that the Y-shaped shield cross 4 “overlaps” the insulations and possibly also the shield of the wires 51 in the mating direction.

[0095] FIG. 11 shows the above-mentioned arrangement together with the third, sleeve-shaped contact carrier part 13.

[0096] In FIG. 11a, this arrangement is shown still separate from the third contact carrier part 13, namely the sleeve, and is about to be pushed into the sleeve 13 through the insertion opening 130 thereof.

[0097] FIGS. 11b and 11c show the arrangement in a state in which it is pushed into the sleeve 13 (third contact carrier part). In this case, the cuboidal latching molding 118 is incorporated in the latching slot 1308 and latched thereto by means of the latching hooks 133 (see FIGS. 1c and d). The contact carrier 1 is therefore assembled and the central contact 22′ is arranged substantially centrally in the mating face, i.e. centrally in the mating portion 131 as seen from the mating direction. The further crimp contacts 21, 22 are also received in the contact carrier and protrude with their respective mating areas 211, 221 through the corresponding through openings 1301, 1302 of the mating portion 131.

[0098] FIG. 12a shows the assembled contact carrier 1, which is equipped with crimp contacts 2 and the shield cross 4 and has a substantially hollow-cylindrical shield connecting element 40, which is provided to connect a shield braid of the cable 5 (not shown for reasons of clarity) to a metallic plug connector housing 7 (shown below).

[0099] FIG. 12b moreover shows a selection of sealing elements in the form of sealing rings 500, 510, 520, which differ in terms of their internal diameter and are provided for different cable cross-sections.

[0100] FIGS. 12c-e show, from various views, the entire, assembled plug connector with the connected cable 5 as viewed from the outside in each case. The plug connector has a cable gland 6 with a molded union nut, which is screwed to the actual plug connector housing 7 on the cable connection side and thus fixes the cable 5 on the plug connector housing 7. On the mating side, a knurled screw 8 is rotatably held on the plug connector housing 7 for locking/screwing to a mating connector on the mating side.

[0101] In particular, FIG. 12e shows how the central contact 22′ is arranged substantially centrally in the mating portion 131, i.e. substantially centrally in the mating face, as seen from the mating direction. Upon closer inspection, a person skilled in the art can see that the central contact 22′ does not lie exactly on the center axis but is arranged such that it is offset downwards by approximately 5% of the diameter in the drawing. This corresponds, for example, to Standard IEC 61076-2-113 of 2017.

[0102] At least the plug connector housing 7 consists of a metallic material. For stability and shielding reasons, the cable gland 6 and the knurled screw 8 can also consist of a metallic material or, in a further embodiment, also of plastic.

[0103] Even where combinations of different aspects of 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 each other.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0104] 1 Contact carrier (multi-part) [0105] 11, 11′ First contact carrier part (signal contact carrier) [0106] 110 Signal contact receptacles [0107] 1104 Y-shaped receiving slot [0108] 113′ Latching recess [0109] 114, 114′ Holder [0110] 118 Cuboidal latching molding [0111] 12 Second contact carrier part (power contact carrier) [0112] 120, 120′ Power contact receptacles, central contact receptacle [0113] 123′ Cylinder segment-like latching molding [0114] 124 Contact surface [0115] 13 Third contact carrier part (sleeve) [0116] 130 Insertion opening on the cable connection side [0117] 1301 Signal contact through-opening [0118] 1302, 1302′ Power contact through-opening, Central contact through-opening [0119] 1304 Shield element through-opening [0120] 1308 Latching slot [0121] 131 Mating portion [0122] 1310 Mating surface [0123] 133 Latching hook [0124] 2 Crimp contacts [0125] 21 Signal contact(s) [0126] 211 Mating area (signal contact) [0127] 212 Crimp connection (signal contact) [0128] 22, 22′ Power contact(s); central contact [0129] 221 Mating area (power contact) [0130] 4 Y-shaped shield element [0131] 41 First portion of the Y-shaped shield element [0132] 42 Second portion of the Y-shaped shield element [0133] 43 Third portion of the Y-shaped shield element [0134] 423, 433 Anti-twist surfaces [0135] 424 Stop step [0136] 40 Shield connection element [0137] 48 Stop molding/ground connection element [0138] 5 Multi-wire electric (“hybrid”) cable [0139] 50 Wires of the cable [0140] 51 Signal wires [0141] 52 Power wires [0142] 500, 510, 520 Various sealing elements/sealing rings [0143] 6 Cable gland/union nut [0144] 7 Plug connector housing [0145] 8 Knurled screw/mating-side locking means