Abstract
The invention relates to a plug-in connector (1) having a contact support (2) with at least two contact cavities (3), in each of which a contact partner is inserted and primarily locked. At least one locking tab (4) is provided and has at least one locking pin (6), and each respective contact partner is secondarily locked in its contact cavity (3) by means of a respective locking pin (6). The invention is characterized in that a slot (8) is arranged in the contact support (2) between two contact cavities (3), and the locking tab (4) has a rib (7), said rib (7) engaging into the slot (8) when the locking tab (4) is located on the contact support (2) in its intended position.
Claims
1. A plug-in connector comprising: a support formed with an array of contact chambers each constructed to hold a respective contact that is primary-locked there; a locking tab that has respective locking pins secondary-locking the respective contacts in their contact chambers, the support being formed a slot between the contact chambers in the support, the locking tab having web that enter the slots when the locking tab is fitted to the support.
2. The plug-in connector according to claim 1, wherein the locking tab is pivotal on the support.
3. The plug-in connector according to claim 1, further comprising: a frame is provided that is fixed on the support, the a locking tab being pivotal on the frame.
4. The plug-in connector according to claim 1, wherein a minimum clearance remains between a surface of the web and a confronting surface of the associated slot when the web has entered its the respective slot.
5. The plug-in connector according to claim 3, wherein the support and the frame are composed of identical or different plastic.
Description
[0014] The plug-in connector 1 according to FIG. 1 furthermore has at least one locking tab 4, here a total of four locking tabs 4. These locking tabs 4 can be arranged directly on the support 2 (not illustrated in FIG. 1). The embodiment is illustrated in which the plug-in connector 1 comprises a frame 5, and the four locking tabs 4 extend from this frame 5 and protrude with their end region somewhat from the support 2. The frame 5 for its part is at the upper end of the support 2, which end forms the plug face of the plug-in connector 1, from which a mating plug-in connector, not illustrated, can be plugged into the plug-in connector 1. A reverse arrangement of the locking tab 4 directly on the support 2 or a reverse arrangement of the frame 5 on the support 2 is also conceivable by, for example, the frame 5 being fixed on that end of the support 2 that faces away from the plug face. It is important for the invention that the support 2 has at least two contact chambers 3 that are adjacent to one another and in which the contacts, not illustrated, are secondary-locked via a locking pin, a latching hook, a latching strip or the like of the locking tab 4.
[0015] FIG. 2 shows the details of the plug-in connector 1 with improved protection against high-voltage flashovers. The frame 5 with its locking tabs 4 is shown on its own in the upper left illustration. The support 2 with its plurality of contact chambers 3 is illustrated in the lower left illustration of FIG. 2, and the frame 5 can be placed onto the support 2 and fixed there in a suitable manner (for example by latching).
[0016] The details of the locking tab 4 that face in the direction of the support 2 can be seen in the upper right illustration of FIG. 2. The essential details are of locking pins 6 (also to be referred to as latching hooks or the like) and webs 7 that, in this case, run between the individual locking pins 6. When the locking tab 4 is pivoted in the direction of the support 2, the locking pins 6 located on the inner side of the locking tab 4 enter the associated contact chambers 3 in the support 2 and bring about the fixing there of the contacts that have been previously inserted and primary-locked there. At the same time, the webs likewise located on the inner side of the locking tab 4 enter the associated slots 8 of the support 2 and bring about an extension there of the creepage distance for improved protection against high-voltage flashovers. Alternatively to individual locking pins 6, it can be conceived to provide a continuous web (that is then oriented transversely with respect to the webs 7), for example at the initially free end of the locking tab 4. Such a continuous web has the advantage that it can be used not only to bring about the secondary locking of the contacts in their contact chambers 3 when the locking tab 4 is pivoted, but also at the same time the locking tab 4 can be fixed in its correct end position on the support 2 by means of this continuous web. In the case of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the locking tab 4 can have further latching means, not illustrated, with which they can be fixed in their correct position on the support 2 after the pivoting process.
[0017] FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the support 2 from the direction of the plug face (i.e., from above into the contact chambers). The slot 8 can also be seen there, through which the creepage distances is significantly extended. In this illustration, the web 7 that has been entered is not yet illustrated. The cross-sectional geometries, as are illustrated in FIG. 3, are likewise only by way of example and can vary depending on the use of the plug-in connector 1.
[0018] FIG. 4 finally shows the secondary locking in the closed state. It can be seen here that the frame 5 has been arranged at the one end of the support 2 and fixed in a suitable manner. The locking tabs 4 have likewise been pivoted into their correct end position and likewise fixed in the latter in a suitable manner. At the same time, the secondary locking of the contacts in their respective contact chambers 3 and the entry of the webs 7 on the inner side of the respective locking tab 4 into the associated slots 8 in the support 2 have taken place.
[0019] The individual elements of the plug-in connector 1 according to the invention can be advantageously produced reliably and in large piece numbers from a suitable plastic in a plastics injection molding process. During the shaping of the plug-in connector 1, in particular of the support 2 and/or of the frame 5, various polarizations and codings can be realized.
[0020] The plug-in connector 1, as illustrated in FIG. 4 (but with the omission of the contacts in the contact chambers and corresponding electrical lines), can be plugged together with a correspondingly formed mating plug connector to form a plug-in connection. The plugging together involves a simple plug-in operation that can be assisted by an additional locking (CPA: connector position assurance).
[0021] Summarized once again in other words, the invention relates to a plug-in connector that has a support that comprises at least two contact chambers into which a respective contact is inserted. The contact is locked once in the contact chamber, for example by means of its own latching tab (“primary locking”).
[0022] Furthermore, there is secondary locking that has the effect that the contact inserted into the contact chamber is fixed in the contact chamber in addition to the primary locking (“secondary locking”). According to the invention, the secondary locking is designed to fix the contact one further time in the contact chamber and also to bring about protection against high-voltage flashovers between two adjacent contacts.
List of Reference Signs
[0023] 1 Plug-in connector [0024] 2 support [0025] 3 Contact chamber [0026] 4 Locking tab [0027] 5 Frame [0028] 6 Locking pin [0029] 7 Web [0030] 8 Slot
