Protective conductor connection

Abstract

A protective conductor connection connects a protective conductor to a busbar of a grounding element. The grounding element extends in a plug-in direction on a wall of an isolating body of the plug connector. The grounding element has a mounting region for mounting on the wall, a contact element for electrically contacting a counterpart plug connector, and a contact surface for electrical contacting a plug connector housing. A spring element and an actuating element are provided on the mounting region and configured such that the actuating element, during actuation thereof, interacts with the spring element such that, in a first position of the actuating element, a contact connection for the protective conductor to the current rail is opened by the spring element, and in a second position of the actuating element, a contact connection for the protective conductor to the current rail is closed by the spring element.

Claims

1. A protective conductor connection for connecting a protective conductor (5) to a plug connector, comprising: a grounding element (1), including a busbar (11) which extends in a mating direction (S) of the plug connector, a mounting region (10) for mounting the grounding element (1) on a wall (60) of an insulating body (6) of the plug connector, a contact element (15) for providing an electrical contact with a mating plug connector, and a contact surface (13) for providing an electrical contact with a plug connector housing; a spring element (2) having a planar contact surface (21) which abuts a first side of the busbar (11), and a window aperture (20) for receiving the protective conductor (5) therethrough and pulling the protective conductor (5) towards a second side of the busbar (11) opposite the first side; and an actuating element (3) slidingly arranged on the mounting region (10), wherein the actuating element (3) and the spring element (2) are formed and arranged in such a way that the actuating element (3), upon its actuation, cooperates with the spring element (2) in such a way that a contact connection of the protective conductor (5) to the busbar (11) is opened by the spring element (2) in a first position (P1) of the actuating element (3) in the mating direction (S), and a contact connection of the protective conductor (5) to the busbar (11) is closed by the spring element (2) in a second position (P2) of the actuating element (3) in the mating direction (S).

2. The protective conductor connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuating element (3) is formed and arranged to be displaceable in the mating direction (S) in such a way that the actuating element (3) can be brought from the first position (P1) into the second position (P2) by a first actuation of the actuating element (3) acting in the mating direction (S), and can be brought from the second position (P2) into the first position (P1) by a second actuation of the actuating element (3) acting contrary to the mating direction (S).

3. The protective conductor connection as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting region (10) of the grounding element (1) has an angled first limb (11) and a second limb (12) formed opposite one another, wherein the busbar is formed by the angled first limb (11), and the spring element (2) and the actuating element (3) are adjacently arranged between the angled first limb (11) and second limb (12) in such a way that a contour of the actuating element (3) cooperates with an adjacent contour of the spring element (2).

4. The protective conductor connection as claimed in claim 3, wherein the contact surface for providing an electrical contact with the plug connector housing is provided by a third and fourth limb (13), which are symmetrically formed on the mounting region (10), angled perpendicularly towards the mating direction (S), and are provided for mounting on a protrusion (63) formed on the wall (60) of the insulating body (6); and wherein a stop for the actuating element (3) in the mating direction (S) of the plug connector is provided by one of the limbs (13).

5. The protective conductor connection as claimed in claim 3, wherein the spring element (2) is a cage clamp, wherein the spring element (2) has tensioning limb (22); wherein the planar contact surface (21) abuts extensively against a first contact surface of the angled first limb (11), which is opposite the second limb (12); wherein the window aperture (20) embraces a freely projecting lug (211) of the spring element (2), which is slightly angled and adjoins the contact surface (21) of the spring element (2), and moreover an upper, angled lug (111) of the angled first limb (11); wherein, in the first position (P1), the window aperture (20) of the spring element (2) extends beyond a second contact surface of the angled first limb (11) and is exposed for receiving a protective conductor (5); and wherein, in the second position (P2), the spring element (2) clamps a protective conductor (5) inserted into the window aperture (20) against the second contact surface of the angled first limb (11) and the upper lug (111).

6. The protective conductor connection as claimed in claim 5, wherein the actuating element (3) is formed like a bolt; wherein the actuating element (3) extends between the first (11) and second (12) limb in the mating direction (S) and abuts with a first side against a contact surface of the second limb (12), which is opposite the first contact surface of the angled first limb (11); wherein a second side of the actuating element (3), which faces the spring element (2), has a tensioning shoulder (30), a tensioning chamfer (31) and an actuating aperture (32); and wherein the first side of the actuating element (3), which abuts against the contact surface of the second limb (12), has an engagement chamfer (35) having an adjoining engagement step (36), which are accessible for a tool (37) via a tool insertion opening (34) formed in a head (33) of the actuating element (3).

7. The protective conductor connection as claimed in claim 6, wherein, in the first position (P1), the tensioning shoulder (30) of the actuating element (3) cooperates with the tensioning limb (22) of the spring element (2) in such a way that the spring element (2) is tensioned by a tensioning force provided by means of the actuating element (3) and the second limb (12) in such a way that the window aperture (20) extends beyond the second contact surface of the angled first limb (11) and is exposed for receiving a protective conductor (5); wherein, in the second position (P2), the actuating aperture (32) of the actuating element (3) cooperates with the tensioning limb (22) of the spring element (2) in such a way that the spring element (2) clamps a protective conductor (5) inserted into the window aperture (20) against the second contact surface of the angled first limb (11) and the upper lug (111) by means of a spring force; and wherein, upon an actuation of the actuating element (3), the tensioning limb (22) of the spring element (2) cooperates with the tensioning chamfer (31) of the actuating element (3) in such a way that the actuating element (3) is brought from the first (P1) or second (P2) position into the second (P2) or first position (P1) in each case.

8. The protective conductor connection as claimed in claim 6, having a housing half shell (4) formed and cooperating in an interlocking manner with the mounting region (10), wherein the mounting region (10) and the housing half shell (4) can be assembled to form a housing and the spring element (2) and the actuating element (3) are accommodated in the housing.

9. The protective conductor connection as claimed in claim 8, wherein the housing half shell (4) has an inner contour; wherein a first projection (41) having a protective conductor entry (45) is formed on a wall (40) of the housing half shell (4); wherein the first projection (41) has a peg (44) formed to interlock with an aperture (14) formed in the mounting region (10); wherein the first projection (41) has a first and second bearing surface (410) for bearing against the mounting region (10) and a third and fourth bearing surface (411) for bearing against the angled first limb (11); wherein the first projection (41) has an aperture (412) for receiving the spring element (2) protruding beyond the second contact surface of the angled first limb (11) in the first position (P1); and the first projection (41) has a fifth bearing surface (413) for bearing against the actuating element (3); and wherein the first projection (41) has a chamfer (43) by means of which a stop for the actuating element (3) is provided contrary to the mating direction (S); wherein a second lateral projection (42) having a first and second bearing surface (421) for bearing against the second limb (12) and having a third bearing surface (423) for bearing against the actuating element (3) and having a fourth bearing surface (420) for bearing against the mounting region (10) is formed on the wall (40); wherein a guide for a displacement of the actuating element (3) from the first position (P1) to the second position (P2) in the mating direction (S) and from the first position (P1) to the second position (P2) contrary to the mating direction (S) is provided by means of the third bearing surface (423) of the second projection (42) and the fifth bearing surface (413) of the first projection (41); and wherein a central block (46) is formed on the wall (40), which block has a contour such that overbending protection is provided for the spring element (2).

10. The protective conductor connection as claimed in claim 9, wherein opposing walls of a housing are provided by means of a central region of the mounting region (10) of the grounding element (1) and the wall (40) of the housing half shell (4), which housing accommodates the spring element (2) and the actuating element (3) and has the head (33) of the actuating element (3) protruding from it contrary to the mating direction (S) for its actuation.

11. A plug connector, comprising: a grounding element (1), including a mounting region (10) for connecting the grounding element (1) to an insulating body (6) of the plug connector, a first limb (11) extending perpendicular from the mounting region away from the insulating body (6) of the plug connector, and a second limb (12) extending perpendicular from the mounting region away from the insulating body (6) opposite and parallel to the first limb (11); a cage clamp (2), including a planar contact surface (21), a tensioning limb (22), and a window aperture (20); an actuating element 3), including a head (33), and a generally cuboid body, the generally cuboid body having a cage-clamp facing side which includes a recessed actuating aperture (32) and a tensioning shoulder (30) that are separated by a tensioning chamfer (31); and a housing half shell (4) including a wall (40), a central block (46) extending inwardly from the wall (40), wherein the planar contact surface (21) of the cage clamp (2) abuts the first limb (11), wherein an upper lug (111) extending from the first limb (11) extends through the window aperture (20) of the cage clamp (2), wherein the actuating element (3) is movably arranged between the second limb (12) and the cage clamp (2), wherein, when the actuating element (3) is in a first position (P1), the tensioning limb (22) of the cage clamp (2) abuts the tensioning shoulder (30) of the actuating element (3) and is thereby pushed into an open position in which the window aperture (20) can receive or release a protective conductor (5), wherein, when the actuating element (3) is in a second position (P2), the tensioning limb (22) of the cage clamp (2) extends into the recessed actuating aperture (32) of the actuating element (3) and is thereby relaxed into a closed position in which the window aperture (20) pulls the protective conductor (5) towards the first limb (11).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail below.

(2) FIG. 1A shows a perspective illustration of a grounding element for a protective conductor connection according to an embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 1B shows a housing half shell for the grounding element;

(4) FIG. 2A shows a detail of the grounding element with a busbar and a spring element arranged thereon;

(5) FIG. 2B shows the busbar with the spring element;

(6) FIG. 2C shows the busbar with the spring element and a protective conductor;

(7) FIG. 2D shows an actuating element according to an embodiment of the invention;

(8) FIG. 2E shows a section through the actuating element along the line L-L of FIG. 2D together with a tool;

(9) FIG. 3A shows a protective conductor connection according to an embodiment of the invention with the grounding element, the spring element and the actuating element in a first position;

(10) FIG. 3B shows the protective conductor connection with the actuating element in a second position;

(11) FIG. 4A shows the grounding element equipped with the housing half shell;

(12) FIG. 4B shows the grounding element of FIG. 4A from the other side; and

(13) FIG. 5 shows the grounding element of FIG. 4A in the second position, which grounding element is mounted as intended on an insulating body of a plug connector and equipped with a protective conductor and a housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(14) 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 may be drawn to different scales.

(15) FIG. 1A shows a perspective illustration of a grounding element 1 for a protective conductor connection according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1B shows a housing half shell 4, which is suitably designed—rotated horizontally through 180° in the drawing—to be assembled with the grounding element 1 to form a common housing.

(16) The grounding element 1 is suitably formed for connecting a protective conductor 5 of the invention and is provided for mounting on a wall 60 of an insulating body 6 of a plug connector. This insulating body 6 is described below with reference to FIG. 5. In this case, the grounding element 1 extends in the mating direction S of the plug connector.

(17) The grounding element 1 has a mounting region 10 for mounting on the wall 60 and a contact element 15 for providing an electrical contact with a mating plug connector and a contact surface for providing an electrical contact with a plug connector housing. The contact element 15 of the embodiment of FIG. 1A is formed as a contact pin. A modified contact element 15 can be formed as a contact spring. The contact element has an angled portion at its end, which corresponds in an interlocking manner to a graduation formed on the insulating body 6.

(18) The mounting region 10, like the contact element 15, likewise has such an angled portion, which corresponds in an interlocking manner to a graduation formed on the insulating body 6. A first 11 and second 12 limb, angled towards one another, are formed on the mounting region 10 of the grounding element 1. The first limb 11 is provided for providing a busbar for the contact connection for a protective conductor 5 and cooperates with a spring element 2. The second limb 12 provides an opposite limb to the first limb 11 and cooperates with an actuating element 3 presented below.

(19) A third and fourth symmetrically formed limb 13 (shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B) are moreover angled perpendicularly to the mating direction S on the mounting region 10 of the grounding element 1. A contact surface for electrical contact with a plug connector housing and a flange for bearing and mounting on a protrusion 63 on a wall 60 of the insulating body 6 are provided by means of the third and fourth limb 13. Suitable screws are provided for this on the third and fourth limb 13.

(20) An aperture 14 is furthermore provided in the mounting region 10, which aperture corresponds to a peg 44 formed on the housing half shell 4 of FIG. 1B. The peg 44 is provided on an inner contour of the housing half shell 4, which is formed on a wall 40 of the housing half shell 4.

(21) A first projection 41, formed to be block-like and having a protective conductor entry 45 for inserting a protective conductor 5 into the assembled housing, is formed on the wall 40 of the housing half shell 4 shown in FIG. 1B.

(22) The first projection 41 has the peg 44 formed to interlock with the aperture 14 formed in the mounting region 10. The first projection 41 formed to be block-like moreover has a first and second bearing surface 410 for bearing against the mounting region 10, and a third and fourth bearing surface 411 for bearing against the first limb 11. The third bearing surface 411 is formed parallel to the mating direction S and is provided for bearing against a second contact surface of the first limb 11. The fourth bearing surface 411 is formed perpendicularly to the mating direction S and provided for bearing against a lower edge of the first limb 11.

(23) To receive a spring element 2, which is described below and protrudes beyond a second contact surface of the first limb 11 in a first position 1, an aperture 412 is formed in the first projection 41, which also extends in particular through the third bearing surface 411 of the first projection 41.

(24) The first projection 41 moreover has a fifth bearing surface 413 for bearing against an actuating element 3 described below. A chamfer 43 is moreover formed on the first projection 41, which chamfer forms a common edge with the fifth bearing surface 413 and provides a stop for the actuating element 3 contrary to the mating direction S.

(25) A second lateral projection 42 having a first and second bearing surface 421 for bearing against the second limb 12 and having a third bearing surface 423 for bearing against the actuating element 3 and having a fourth bearing surface 420 for bearing against the mounting region 10 is moreover formed on the wall 40 of the housing half shell 4. The first and second bearing surface 421 are provided in each case for bearing against an edge extending in the mating direction S and a lower edge of the second limb 12, which extends perpendicularly to the mating direction S.

(26) A guide for a displacement of the actuating element 3 described below from the first position P1 to the second position P2 in the mating direction and from the second position P2 to the first position P1 contrary to the mating direction S is provided by means of the third bearing surface 423 of the second projection 42 and the above-described fifth bearing surface 413 of the first projection 41.

(27) A central block 46 is moreover formed on the wall 40 of the housing half shell 4, which block has a contour such that overbending protection is provided for the spring element 2.

(28) FIG. 2A shows a detail of the grounding element 1 of FIG. 1A with an above-mentioned spring element 2 in a pre-tensioned state, which corresponds to a first position P1 of an actuating element 3 described below with reference to FIGS. 2D and 2E and FIGS. 3A and 3B.

(29) FIG. 2B shows the spring element 2 arranged on the busbar 11 of the grounding element 1 of FIG. 2A, and FIG. 2C shows the spring element 2 of FIG. 2B with a protective conductor 5. The busbar is provided by means of the first limb 11.

(30) The spring element 2 suitably formed as a cage clamp has a window aperture 20, a planar contact surface 21 and a tensioning limb 22, wherein the planar contact surface 21 abuts extensively against a first contact surface of the first limb 11, which is opposite the second limb 12.

(31) The window aperture 20 embraces a freely projecting lug 211 of the spring element 2, which is slightly angled and adjoins the contact surface 21 of the spring element 2, and moreover an upper, angled lug 111 of the first limb 11. The lug 111 is firstly slightly angled towards the second contact surface of the first limb 11 at a first angle α1 and then angled towards the first contact surface of the first limb 11 at a second angle α2. A protective conductor 5 inserted into the window aperture 20 can thus be clamped against the second contact surface of the first limb 11 and against the upper lug 111, which is slightly angled at the first angle α1, by means of the window aperture 20 and can thereby also be mechanically held in a particularly secure and stable manner.

(32) By means of the second angled portion at the angle α2 towards the first contact surface of the first limb 11, the spring element 2 is held in a stable manner on the first limb 11 with the lug thereof 211 located in the window aperture 20.

(33) In the pre-tensioned state, which corresponds to the first position P1 of an actuating element 3, which is mentioned above and described below with reference to FIG. 3A, the window aperture 20 of the spring element 2 extends beyond the second contact surface of the first limb 11 and is exposed for receiving a protective conductor 5.

(34) In a second position P2 of an actuating element 3, which is described below with reference to FIG. 3B, the spring element 2 clamps the protective conductor 5 inserted into the window aperture 20 from above according to FIG. 2C against the second contact surface of the first limb 11 and against the upper lug 111, which is slightly angled towards the second contact surface.

(35) FIG. 2D shows an above-mentioned actuating element 3 according to an embodiment of the invention and FIG. 2E shows a section through the actuating element 3 of FIG. 2D along the line L-L of FIG. 2D together with a tool 37.

(36) The actuating element 3 is formed to be bolt-like and extends between the first 11 and second 12 limb in the mating direction S and abuts with a first side against a contact surface of the second limb 12, which is opposite the first contact surface of the first limb 11. Please also refer to FIGS. 3A and 3B in this regard.

(37) A second side of the actuating element, which faces the spring element 2, has a tensioning shoulder 30, a tensioning chamfer 31 and an actuating aperture 32.

(38) The side of the actuating element 3 which abuts against the contact surface of the second limb 12 has an engagement chamfer 35 having an adjacent engagement step 36, which are accessible for a tool 37 via a tool insertion opening 34 formed in a head 33 of the actuating element 3.

(39) By means of the tool 37 inserted into the tool insertion opening 34 and applied to the edge between the engagement chamfer 35 and the engagement step 36, a lever acting on the actuating element 3 contrary to the mating direction S can be provided by the upper edge of the second limb 12 acting as a pivot point. An actuation of the actuating tool acting contrary to the mating direction can thus be provided and the actuating element 3 can be easily brought from the second position P2 illustrated in FIG. 3B to its first position P1 of FIG. 3A. A further tool insertion opening 34 for a tool for an actuation of the actuating element 3 acting in the mating direction S is moreover provided in the head 33.

(40) In this regard, FIG. 3A shows a protective conductor connection according to an embodiment of the invention with the grounding element 1 of FIG. 1A, the spring element 2 of FIG. 2A and the actuating element 3 of FIG. 2D in the above-mentioned first position P1, and FIG. 3B shows the protective conductor connection of FIG. 3A in the above-mentioned second position P2.

(41) The spring element 2 provided on the mounting region 10 of the grounding element 1 and the actuating element 3 are formed and arranged in such a way that the actuating element 3, upon its actuation, cooperates with the spring element 2 in such a way that a contact connection for a protective conductor 5 to a busbar is opened by means of the spring element 2 in the first position P1 of the actuating element 13 in the mating direction S of FIG. 3A. A contact connection for a protective conductor 5 to the busbar 11 is closed by means of the spring element 2 in the second position P2 of the actuating element 3 in the mating direction S of FIG. 3B. In this case, the busbar is provided by means of the first limb 11.

(42) The actuating element 3 is formed and arranged to be displaceable in the mating direction S in such a way that the actuating element 3 can be displaced from the first position P1 to the second position P2 by means of a first actuation of the actuating element 3 acting in the mating direction S, and can be displaced from the second position P2 to the first position P1 by means of a second actuation of the actuating element 3 acting contrary to the mating direction S.

(43) In the first position P1, the tensioning shoulder 30 of the actuating element 3 cooperates with the tensioning limb 22 of the spring element 2 in such a way that the spring element 2 is tensioned by a tensioning force provided by means of the actuating element 3 and the second limb 12 in such a way that the window aperture 20 extends beyond the second contact surface of the first limb 11 and is exposed for receiving a protective conductor 5. In this case, the tensioning limb 22 of the spring element 2 is arranged on the tensioning shoulder 30 of the actuating element 3.

(44) In the second position P2, the actuating aperture 32 of the actuating element 3 cooperates with the tensioning limb 22 of the spring element 2 in such a way that, as described above, the spring element 2 clamps a protective conductor 5 inserted into the window aperture 20 against the second contact surface of the first limb 11 and the upper lug 111 by means of a spring force. For the sake of clarity, unlike FIG. 2C, a protective conductor 5 is not shown in FIG. 3B. In this case, the tensioning limb 22 of the spring element 2 is arranged in the actuating aperture 32 of the actuating element 3.

(45) In the second position P2, the head 33 of the actuating element 3 abuts against the upper edge of the second limb 12. It remains to be mentioned that a thickness of the actuating element 3 in its region between the head 33 and the actuating aperture 32 is tapered compared to its thickness of the tensioning shoulder 30, wherein the chamfer 43 described above with reference to FIG. 1B cooperates with the tensioning chamfer 31 to provide a stop in the first position P1 upon the actuation of the actuating element 3 contrary to the mating direction S. As a result of this measure, it is ensured that the actuating element 3 does not escape from a housing provided by means of the housing half shell 4 and the mounting region 10 of the grounding element 1.

(46) Upon an actuation of the actuating element 3 in the mating direction S, a stop for the actuating element 3 is provided in the second position P2 by means of a limb 13.

(47) Upon an actuation of the actuating element 3, the tensioning limb 22 of the spring element 2 cooperates with the tensioning chamfer 31 of the actuating element 3 in such a way that the actuating element 3 is brought from the first P1 or second P2 position into the second P2 or first position P1 in each case. In this case, an actuation in the mating direction S can take place by means of a suitable tool and also manually, and an actuation contrary to the mating direction can take place by means of a tool 37 as described above.

(48) FIG. 4A shows the grounding element 1 of FIG. 3A, which is equipped with the housing half shell 4 of FIG. 1B, in the first position P1 with the actuating element 3 protruding with its head 33 out of the housing consisting of the housing half shell 4 and the grounding element 1. In this case, the wall 40 of the housing half shell 4 forms a wall of the assembled housing in which the spring element 2 and the actuating element 3 are accommodated.

(49) In this regard, FIG. 4B shows the assembled housing of FIG. 4A from the opposite direction with the wall of the housing provided by means of the mounting region 10 of the grounding element 1. In this case, the peg 44 of the housing half shell 4 is latched in an interlocking manner to the aperture 14 formed in the mounting region 10 of the grounding element 1. The screws for mounting the limbs 13 and the actuating element 3 are not shown in FIG. 4B.

(50) FIG. 5 shows the grounding element 1 mounted as intended on a wall 60 of the insulating body 6 of a plug connector and with the grounding element 1 equipped with the protective conductor 5 and the housing half shell 4 in the second position P2. The protective conductor 5 is inserted into the protective conductor entry 45 of the housing half shell 4, wherein the wall 40 thereof is spaced from the wall 60 of the insulating body 6 whilst the grounding element 1 extending in the mating direction S abuts in an interlocking manner against the wall 60 of the insulating body 6 by means of its mounting region 10 and its contact element 15 formed as a contact pin, which is angled at its end.

(51) The contact element 15 is arranged on the connection region 65 of the insulating body 6 to provide an electrical contact with a mating plug connector. A flange provided by means of the third and fourth limb 13 has a contact surface equipped with two screws and rests on a protrusion 63 of the insulating body 6, which is formed on the wall 60, to provide an electrical contact with a plug connector housing (not illustrated) for mounting to the plug connector housing by means of the screws.

(52) 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.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(53) 1 Grounding element 10 Mounting region 11 First limb, busbar 111 Lug 12 Second limb, opposite limb 13 Third, fourth limb, contact surface, flange 14 Aperture 15 Contact element, contact pin 2 Spring element, cage clamp 20 Window aperture 21 Contact surface 211 Lug 22 Tensioning limb 3 Actuating element 30 Tensioning shoulder 31 Tensioning chamfer 32 Actuating aperture 33 Head 34 Tool insertion opening 35 Engagement chamfer 36 Engagement step 37 Tool 4 Housing half shell 40 Wall 41, 42 Projection 410, 411, 420, 421 Bearing surface 412 Aperture 413, 423 Bearing surface, guide 43 Chamfer, stop 44 Peg 45 Aperture, protective conductor entry 46 Protrusion, block, overbending protection 5 Protective conductor 6 Insulating body 60 Wall 63 Protrusion, supporting surface 65 Connection region L Line P1, P2 Position S Mating direction