Lockable and releasable plug

Abstract

A compact design for a push-pull latching system for a rectangular plug includes at least one locking and releasing element (11) which is held against a broad side of a plug housing in such a way that the locking and releasing element can be moved parallel to the broad side of the plug housing (1). The locking and releasing element (11) can be formed integrally with the plug housing (1) from an elastic plastic and can have a plurality of locking arms (111) having locking hooks (113). The movement necessary for releasing is then inversely proportional to the number of locking arms (111); the elasticity is also determined by the shape of the locking arms, in particular the width of the locking arms.

Claims

1. A lockable and releasable plug connector, comprising: a plug connector housing (1) having multiple sides, each of the multiple sides having a flat shape; a plug insert that is fixed in the plug connector housing (1); a releasing sleeve (2) that encompasses the plug connector housing (1) and is held against the plug connector housing in such a manner that the releasing sleeve may be displaced in an opposite direction to a plug-in direction; and a locking and releasing element (11, 11′) that is arranged between a first of the multiple sides of the plug connector housing (1) and the releasing sleeve (2), wherein the locking and releasing element (11, 11′) is held on the plug connector housing (1) and is moveable parallel to the first of the multiple sides of the plug connector housing (1).

2. The lockable and releasable plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking and releasing element (11, 11′) is made at least in part from a spring-elastic material in order thereby to ensure its movability.

3. The lockable and releasable plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking and releasing element (11, 11′) has multiple latching arms (111, 111′), wherein each of the multiple latching arms (111, 111′) has a first end and a second end, wherein each of the multiple latching arms (111, 111′) is attached with its first end to the plug connector housing (1), and wherein the second end of each of the multiple latching arms (111, 111′) is movable parallel to the first of the multiple sides of the plug connector housing (1).

4. The lockable and releasable plug connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the multiple latching arms (111) are connected to one another between their respective first end and second end via a cross brace (116) and as a result are able to move jointly.

5. The lockable and releasable plug connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the multiple latching arms (111′) are held opposite one another in such a manner that the multiple latching arms are able to move on the plug connector housing (1).

6. The lockable and releasable plug connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein a latching hook (113, 113′) is formed on each of the multiple latching arms (111, 111′) so as to latch with a respective latching spigot (313, 313′) of a mating plug housing (3).

7. The lockable and releasable plug connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein the latching hook (113, 113′) is formed on each second end of the multiple latching arms (111, 111′).

8. The lockable and releasable plug connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein each latching hook (113, 113′) has a latching surface (115) that is oriented at a right angle to the respective latching arm (111, 111′) and faces opposite to the plug-in direction.

9. The lockable and releasable plug connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein at least one latching hook (113, 113′) has a sliding incline or a sliding rounded section so as to slide on the respective latching spigot (313, 313′) of the mating plug housing (3), and wherein the at least one latching hook tapers toward its second end.

10. The lockable and releasable plug connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the latching arms (111, 111′) are integrally formed on their first end on an attachment base of the plug connector housing (1).

11. The lockable and releasable plug connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the latching arms (111, 111′) and an attachment basis are integrally formed with the plug connector housing (1) as one piece made of a synthetic material.

12. The lockable and releasable plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one engaging or contacting mechanism (117, 117′) is arranged on the locking and releasing element (11, 11′) and the at least one engaging or contacting element cooperates with the releasing sleeve (2) as the releasing sleeve is displaced in the direction opposite to the plug-in direction in order to move the locking and releasing element (11, 11′).

13. The lockable and releasable plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one engaging or contacting mechanism (117, 117′) is a shaping on the locking and releasing element (11, 11′), and wherein the shaping has a contacting incline that cooperates with a releasing spigot (217, 217′, 217″) of the releasing sleeve (2).

14. The lockable and releasable plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plug connector has at least two locking elements (11, 11′) that are arranged on two mutually parallel opposite-lying sides of the plug connector housing (1).

15. The lockable and releasable plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plug connector housing (1) is formed together with the locking and releasing element (11, 11′) as a one-piece injection molded part.

16. The lockable and releasable plug connector as claimed in claim 15, wherein the plug connector housing (1) is made at least in part from PBT (“polybutylene terephthalate”) that is reinforced with glass fibers.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) One exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and is explained in detail below.

(2) FIG. 1a illustrates a plug connector housing having a locking element.

(3) FIG. 1b illustrates a releasing sleeve.

(4) FIG. 1c illustrates a mating plug housing.

(5) FIG. 2a illustrates a system comprising a plug connector and a mating connector in a first embodiment.

(6) FIG. 2b illustrates a system comprising a plug connector and a mating connector in a second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) The figures show in part simplified, schematic illustrations. To some extent, identical reference numerals are used for like but possibly not identical elements. Different views of like elements may be scaled differently.

(8) FIG. 1 illustrates a plug connector housing 1 having a releasing element 11 in a first embodiment. On the cable connection side, a cable-inserting region 17 is formed as one on the plug connector housing 1 with a thread 18 of a cable screw connection 19, which is illustrated in FIG. 2b and described below.

(9) Following on from this, the plug connector housing 1 has an attachment base 112. The plug connector housing 1 has a rectangular cross-section and has four sides that are arranged at right angles with respect to one another and/or parallel to one another, namely two broad sides and two narrow sides, which for reasons of overview are not provided with reference numerals. In this case, the two broad sides and the two narrow sides lie opposite and parallel to one another. In each case, a locking element 11 is arranged on the two mutually opposite-lying broad sides. However, in this view, only one of the two locking elements 11 is visible because the opposite-lying broad side is concealed by the plug connector housing 1.

(10) The plug connector housing 1 has three latching arms 111 that are formed as one with a first end on the attachment base 112 and with their second end facing in the plug-in direction. The latching arms 111 are consequently attached on their first end to the plug connector housing 1 and by way of their elasticity are held thereon in such a manner as to be able to move parallel to the respective broad side. The latching arms have on a second, movable end latching hooks 113. The latching hooks 113 have a latching surface 114 in each case facing opposite the plug-in direction. In the plug-in direction, the latching hooks 113 have in each case an upward-sliding rounded section 115.

(11) Furthermore, the latching arms 111 of the locking and releasing element are connected to one another by way of a common cross brace 116. As a consequence, they may be moved jointly parallel to the corresponding side wall.

(12) The plug connector housing 1 has on its two mutually opposite-lying narrow sides guiding webs 14 so as to guide the releasing sleeve 2 that is described below. Furthermore, the plug connector housing 1 has on each narrow side a latching lug 15. Said latching lug prevents the releasing sleeve 2 once it has been latched onto said latching lug from becoming unintentionally separated from the plug connector housing 1.

(13) An engaging mechanism 117 is formed as one on the locking element 11. Said engaging mechanism is provided for the purpose of cooperating with a releasing spigot 227 of the releasing sleeve 2 so as to perform the releasing procedure.

(14) FIG. 1b illustrates the said releasing sleeve 2. Said releasing sleeve has a rectangular cross-section and consequently four side walls, namely two narrow and two broad side walls, which are arranged at a right angle and/or parallel to one another, said respective side walls lying opposite to one another in a parallel manner. For the sake of overview, the side walls are not provided with reference numerals. The releasing sleeve 2 has on the two broad side walls in each case a releasing spigot 217 that has a releasing incline for cooperating with the engaging mechanism 117 of the plug connector housing 1. However, on account of the perspective, only the inner face of one of these two side walls and thus also only one releasing spigot 217 are visible in the drawing. Guiding grooves 24 are formed as one on the two narrow side walls, wherein on account of the perspective likewise only one inner face of these two side walls and thus only one guiding groove 24 is visible. The two guiding grooves 24 are suitable for cooperating with the guiding webs 14 of the plug connector housing 1 in order to hold the releasing sleeve 2 on the plug connector housing 1 in such a manner that said releasing sleeve may displace in the plug-in direction.

(15) Furthermore, the releasing sleeve 2 has an actuation shaping 28 for manual actuation.

(16) FIG. 1c illustrates a housing of a mating plug, in other words a mating plug housing 3. This mating plug housing 3 has a circumferential housing frame 31, the shape of which corresponds to that of the plug connector housing 1. At a right angle thereto, the mating plug housing 3 has an attachment flange 312 having screw holes, as a result of which the mating plug housing 3 is suitable by way of example for installation in a housing wall of an electrical device. The housing frame 31 has two long mutually opposite-lying frame sides and two short mutually opposite-lying frame sides that are arranged at a right angle to said long frame sides, for reasons of overview said short frame sides are not provided with reference numerals. The mating plug housing 3 has on the two long frame sides in each case two latching spigots 313.

(17) FIG. 2a illustrates a system comprising the plug connector housing 1 having the releasing sleeve 2, which is held on said plug connector housing in such a manner that said releasing sleeve may move in the plug-in direction, and the mating plug housing 3. In this case, so as to illustrate the mechanical cooperation of these components, 1, 2, 3, a broad side wall of the releasing sleeve 2 is blanked out, in other words only the releasing spigot 217 that is arranged on said side wall is visible in the drawing. This releasing spigot 217 is in mechanical contact with the engaging mechanism 117 of the locking and releasing element 11 via an incline.

(18) It is easily apparent that by way of pulling the sleeve 2 toward the cable screw connection, in other words away from the mating plug housing, i.e. opposite to the plug-in direction, the releasing spigot 217 may act on the engaging mechanism in such a manner that the latching hooks 113 are separated from the latching spigots 313. Furthermore, it is clear that the deformation that is necessary for this occurs parallel to the broad side and is extremely small since it only corresponds to the size of the individual latching surface 114. In contrast, the entire latching surface of the locking and releasing element 11 is produced from the total of the associated individual latching surfaces 114, in this case it is therefore three times as large as each individual latching surface 114 since the locking and releasing element in this current example has three latching hooks 113. As a consequence, this construction is extremely compact. Furthermore, the necessary deformation is only very small which renders it possible for the plug connector housing 1 to be embodied as one piece with the locking and releasing element 11. The locking and releasing element 11 is arranged between a broad side of the plug connector housing 1 and a broad side wall of the releasing sleeve 2 and during the locking and releasing procedure moves parallel thereto. As already mentioned, the latching hooks 113 have upward-sliding rounded sections with which, as the plug connector housing 1 is plugged together with the mating plug housing 3, said upward-sliding rounded sections slide upward on the latching spigots 313 of said mating plug housing in order in the plugged-in state to latch therewith. In an alternative or supplementary embodiment, the latching spigots 313 may also have corresponding upward-sliding rounded sections in order to achieve the same effect.

(19) This system has just such a mechanism on the opposite-lying side, not illustrated.

(20) FIG. 2b illustrates a further embodiment of the disclosure. In this variant, the latching arms 111′ of the locking and releasing elements 11′ move in opposite directions to one another, in other words they move toward one another or away from one another, during the locking and releasing procedure. This variant is on the one hand particularly space-saving and therefore particularly advantageous for small constructions. Irrespective of this, this variant has furthermore the advantage that in particular the forces that occur during the releasing and/or locking procedures are distributed particularly uniformly over the plug connector housing 1 and/or the releasing sleeve 2.

(21) As the mating plug housing 3 is plugged on, the two latching arms 111′ are pushed apart from one another both by way of the upward-sliding rounded sections of their latching hooks 113′ and also by way of the upward-sliding rounded sections of the common latching spigots 313′ in order then to latch therewith in the plugged on state.

(22) In order to perform the releasing procedure, the releasing sleeve 2 has on its broad side wall two releasing spigots 217′ so as in each case to cooperate with an engaging mechanism 117′ that is arranged on each of the two latching arms 111′. During the releasing procedure, the releasing sleeve 2 is pulled away from the mating plug housing 3—in other words in the opposite direction to the plug-in direction. As a consequence, the two latching arms 111′ are pulled apart from their respective engaging mechanisms 117′. In so doing, their latching hooks 113′ unlatch from the common latching spigot 313′ of the mating plug housing 3. As a consequence, the plug connector housing 1 is released from the mating plug housing 3 and may be pulled off.

(23) In the embodiment illustrated in the drawing, the releasing sleeve 2 has in addition a further releasing spigot 217″ that engages between two latching arms 111′ and in addition pushes these two latching arms 111′ apart from one another as the releasing sleeve 2 is pulled.

(24) Consequently, during the releasing procedure the two latching arms 111′ are both pulled apart from one another by the two releasing spigots 217′ of the releasing sleeve 2 and they are also pushed apart by the further releasing spigot 217″, although one of the two variants is sufficient for the functionality and—even though they are jointly illustrated in the drawing—they are understood by the person skilled in the art to be disclosed as being separate.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(25) 1 Plug connector housing 11, 11′ Locking and releasing element 111, 111′ Latching arms 112 Attachment base 113, 113′ Latching hooks 114 Latching surface 115 Upward-sliding rounded section 116 Cross brace 117, 117′ Engaging mechanism 13 Cable screw connection 14 Guiding webs 15 Latching lug 17 Cable-inserting region 18 Thread 2 Releasing sleeve 217, 217′ Releasing spigot 217″ Further releasing spigot 24 Guiding grooves 28 Actuation shaping 3 Mating plug housing 31 Housing frame 312 Attachment flange 313, 313′ Latching spigot