Abstract
The invention relates to a direct plug-in connector (1) for establishing an electric connection between a conductor (30) and a metallized through opening (40) of a printed circuit board (50). The direct plug-in connector (1) has a fastening element (4) and a contact (2) with at least one first contact arm (3a). The first contact arm (3a) is configured for the electric connection of the conductor (30) to the metallized through opening (40). The fastening element (4) can assume a fastening position and a release position, the fastening element (4) being configured to fasten the direct plug-in connector (1) to the metallized through opening (40) in the fastening position.
Claims
1. Direct plug-in connector for establishing an electric connection between a conductor and a metallized through opening of a printed circuit board, having: a contact with at least one first contact arm, the first contact arm being configured for the electric connection of the conductor to the metallized through opening, a fastening element which can assume a fastening position and a release position, characterized in that the fastening element is configured for fastening the direct plug-in connector to the metallized through opening in the fastening position, the fastening element having at least one first latching arm with a first latching lug; a locking pin which, in a locked state, prevents a transfer of the fastening element from the fastening position into the release position by way of a positively locking connection to the fastening element and, in an unlocked state, makes a transfer of the fastening element from the fastening position into the release position possible, the contact defining an intermediate space for receiving the locking pin at least in sections, the first contact arm delimiting the intermediate space at least partially, and the locking pin being arranged within the intermediate space at least in the fastening position.
2. Direct plug-in connector according to claim 1, the contact having a second contact arm which is arranged so as to lie opposite the first contact arm, the first contact arm and the second contact arm delimiting the intermediate space at least partially.
3. Direct plug-in connector according to claim 1, the locking pin having at least one first groove, within which the first contact arm is arranged in the locked state.
4. Direct plug-in connector according to claim 3, the locking pin having a second groove, within which the second contact arm is arranged in the locked state, the second groove being arranged so as to lie opposite the first groove.
5. Direct plug-in connector according to claim 1, the locking pin and/or the first contact arm having a run-up slope which is configured in each case such that, in the locked state, the locking pin prestresses the first contact arm against the metallized through opening.
6. Direct plug-in connector according to claim 1, the locking pin bearing against a rear side of the first latching arm in the locked state, which rear side faces away from the first latching lug.
7. Direct plug-in connector according to claim 6, the fastening element having a second latching arm with a second latching lug, the second latching arm being arranged so as to lie opposite the first latching arm.
8. Direct plug-in connector according to claim 7, the locking pin being configured to be pushed between the first latching arm and the second latching arm.
9. Direct plug-in connector according to claim 2, the first latching arm and the second latching arm lying in a latching arm plane, the first contact arm and the second contact arm lying in a contact arm plane, and the latching arm plane and the contact arm plane lying perpendicularly with respect to one another.
10. Direct plug-in connector according to claim 1, having a housing, the housing having the fastening element.
11. Direct plug-in connector according to claim 10, the housing having a first housing part and a second housing part, the first housing part having the fastening element, and the second housing part having the locking pin, it being possible for the first housing part and the second housing part to be displaced relative to one another, the locking pin assuming the unlocked state in a first relative position of the first housing part and the second housing part, and the locking pin assuming the locked state in a second relative position of the first housing part and the second housing part.
12. Direct plug-in connector according to claim 10, the contact having a securing section which is arranged within the housing and secures the contact against falling out of the housing.
13. Direct plug-in connector according to claim 1, having a centering element which can interact with a corresponding centering element of the printed circuit board, in order to secure the direct plug-in connector against rotation.
14. Direct plug-in connector according to claim 2, the locking pin bearing against a rear side of the first latching arm in the locked state, which rear side faces away from the first latching lug.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) In the drawings:
(2) FIG. 1 shows a view of a direct plug-in connector according to the invention obliquely from below,
(3) FIG. 2 shows a view of the direct plug-in connector of FIG. 1 from below,
(4) FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the direct plug-in connector of FIG. 1 on a sectional plane III-III, the direct plug-in connector being fastened to a metallized through opening of a printed circuit board,
(5) FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of the direct plug-in connector of FIG. 1 on a sectional plane IV-IV, the direct plug-in connector being fastened to the metallized through opening,
(6) FIG. 5 shows a view of the direct plug-in connector of FIG. 1 obliquely from below, the direct plug-in connector being fastened to the metallized through opening of the printed circuit board,
(7) FIG. 6 shows a view of the direct plug-in connector of FIG. 1 obliquely from above, the direct plug-connector being fastened to the metallized through opening of the printed circuit board,
(8) FIG. 7 shows an exploded or pulled-apart illustration of the direct plug-in connector of FIG. 1 with a printed circuit board,
(9) FIG. 8 shows a view of a contact of the direct plug-in connector of FIG. 1 obliquely from the front,
(10) FIG. 9 shows a view of the contact of FIG. 8 obliquely from the rear,
(11) FIG. 10 shows a view of a first housing part of the direct plug-in connector of FIG. 1 obliquely from below,
(12) FIG. 11 shows a view of the first housing part of FIG. 10 obliquely from above,
(13) FIG. 12 shows a first sectional view of the first housing part of FIG. 10,
(14) FIG. 13 shows a second sectional view of the first housing part of FIG. 10,
(15) FIG. 14 shows a view of a second housing part of the direct plug-in connector of FIG. 1 obliquely from below,
(16) FIG. 15 shows a view of the second housing part of FIG. 14 obliquely from the side,
(17) FIG. 16 shows a first sectional view of the second housing part of FIG. 14,
(18) FIG. 17 shows a second sectional view of the second housing part of FIG. 14,
(19) FIG. 18 shows the second housing part, which is sectioned according to FIG. 16, obliquely from above,
(20) FIG. 19 shows the second housing part, which is sectioned according to FIG. 17, obliquely from the side,
(21) FIG. 20 shows a view of the second housing part of FIG. 14 obliquely from the side,
(22) FIG. 21 shows a view of the direct plug-in connector of FIG. 1 on a sectional plane XXI-XXI, and
(23) FIG. 22 shows a sectional view of a further embodiment of a direct plug-in connector according to the invention obliquely from above, which direct plug-in connector is fastened to a metallized through opening of a printed circuit board.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(24) FIG. 1 shows a view obliquely from below of a direct plug-in connector 1 with a housing 17 which has a first housing part 18 and a second housing part 19. A contact 2 protrudes in sections out of the first housing part 18 on a lower side of the direct plug-in connector 1. A first contact arm 3a and a second contact arm 3b of the contact 2 protrude in sections out of the first housing part 18. The first contact arm 3a is arranged so as to lie opposite the second contact arm 3b. The first contact arm 3a and the second contact arm 3b are provided to connect the contact 2 electrically to a metallized through opening of a printed circuit board. The two contact arms 3a, 3b lie in a common contact arm plane.
(25) The housing 17 has a fastening element 4 on its lower side, on which the first contact arm 3a and the second contact arm 3b protrude and which faces the observer in FIG. 1. The fastening element 4 is provided to fasten the direct plug-in connector 1 to the metallized through opening. To this end, the fastening element 4 can assume a fastening position or a release position. When it is situated in the fastening position and is pushed in the metallized through opening, the fastening element 4 holds the direct plug-in connector 1 on the metallized through opening or on the printed circuit board. In the release position, it is possible to push the fastening element 4 into the metallized through opening or to pull it out of the metallized through opening. FIG. 1 shows the fastening position.
(26) The fastening element 4 which is shown in FIG. 1 has a first latching arm 9a and a second latching arm 9b. The first latching arm 9a has a first latching lug 10a, and the second latching arm 9b has a second latching lug 10b. The first latching arm 9a is arranged so as to lie opposite the second latching arm 9b. The two latching arms 9a, 9b with their latching lugs 10a, 10b are configured to latch into the metallized through opening. The two latching arms 9a, 9b are arranged in a latching arm plane.
(27) FIG. 1 shows that the two contact arms 3a, 3b and the two latching arms 9a, 9b are provided to utilize the same metallized through opening firstly for establishing an electric connection and secondly for fastening the direct plug-in connector 1.
(28) Furthermore, FIG. 1 shows that the locking pin 5 is arranged between the two contact arms 3a, 3b and the two latching arms 9a, 9b. The locking pin 5 is provided to block the fastening element 4, with the result that the fastening element 4 and specifically the latching arms 9a, 9b are not transferred unintentionally from the fastening position into the release position.
(29) FIG. 2 shows the direct plug-in connector 1 from below. The two latching arms 9a, 9b lie in a latching arm plane 14, and the contact arms 3a, 3b lie in a contact arm plane 16, the latching arms 9a, 9b and the contact arms 3a, 3b being arranged in such a way that the latching arm plane 14 and the contact arm plane 16 lie perpendicularly on one another.
(30) FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the direct plug-in connector 1, the sectional plane III-III being the contact arm plane 16 from FIG. 2. The direct plug-in connector 1 is plugged into a metallized through opening 40 of a printed circuit board 50. The two contact arms 3a, 3b bear against a wall of the metallized through opening 40, and establish the electric connection to the latter as a result.
(31) FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of the direct plug-in connector 1, the sectional plane IV-IV being the latching arm plane 14 from FIG. 2. The two latching lugs 10a, 10b are arranged outside the metallized through opening 40, and lie on a lower side of the printed circuit board 50. The two latching lugs 10a, 10b therefore engage behind the metallized through opening 40 and thus prevent the direct plug-in connector 1 from being pulled off from the printed circuit board 50 unintentionally.
(32) Furthermore, FIG. 4 shows that the locking pin 5 is configured in one piece with the second housing part 19, and that the fastening element 4 is configured in one piece with the first housing part 18.
(33) FIG. 4 shows a locked state of the locking pin 5. The locking pin 5 is pushed between the first latching arm 9a and the second latching arm 9b, and bears both against a rear side 11 of the first latching arm 9a and against a rear side 12 of the second latching arm 9b. As a result, a positively locking connection is achieved between the locking pin 5 and the two latching arms 9a, 9b in a direction parallel to the printed circuit board 50. The said positively locking connection brings it about that the fastening element 4 and the latching arms 9a, 9b are blocked in the fastening position, and prevents the latching arms 9a, 9b from being transferred into the release position unintentionally and, as a consequence of this, the direct plug-in connector 1 being detached unintentionally from the printed circuit board 50 and out of the metallized through opening 40.
(34) In order to release the direct plug-in connector 1 from the metallized through opening 40 and therefore from the printed circuit board 50, the locking pin 5 has to be transferred into a non-locked state (not shown). In the illustration of FIG. 4, the locking pin 5 has to be moved together with the second housing part 19 to this end upwards relative to the latching arms 9a, 9b and the second housing part 18, away from the printed circuit board 50. In the unlocked state, the locking pin 5 is then at least no longer arranged between the two latching lugs 10a, 10b, and a transfer of the latching arms 9a, 9b from the fastening position into the release position is possible. If the latching arms 9a, 9b are transferred into the release position, that is to say are deflected inwards in FIG. 4, the latching lugs 10a, 10b can move into the through opening 40, and the direct plug-in connector 1 can be pulled out of the metallized through opening 40. In order to transfer the locking pin 5 into the unlocked state, a user pulls on the second housing part 19 in a direction 8 which points away from the printed circuit board. As a result, the second housing part 19 is displaced relative to the first housing part 18 until the two housing parts 18, 19 assume a first relative position. In the first relative position, the locking pin 5 has the unlocked state, and the direct plug-in connector 1 can be pulled out of the metallized through opening 40. In order to fasten the direct plug-in connector 1 to the metallized through opening 40 again, the two latching arms 9a, 9b together with the two contact arms 3a, 3b are pushed into the metallized through opening 40 until the two latching lugs 10a, 10b latch behind the metallized through opening 40, as shown in FIG. 4. Subsequently, a user presses the second housing part 19 counter to the direction 8, as a result of which the second housing part 19 is displaced relative to the first housing part 18 and assumes a second relative position which is shown in FIG. 4. In the second relative position, the locking pin 5 is situated in the locked state, see FIG. 4.
(35) FIG. 5 shows the direct plug-in connector 1 from below, the direct plug-in connector 1 being connected to the printed circuit board 50. The two contact arms 3a, 3b bear against the wall of the metallized through opening 40 and establish an electric connection as a result. The two latching lugs 10a, 10b hold the direct plug-in connector 1 on the printed circuit board 50 via the same metallized through opening 40. The locking pin 5 is situated in the locked state and blocks the latching lugs 10a, 10b.
(36) FIG. 6 shows the direct plug-in connector 1 in a view obliquely from above. The direct plug-in connector 1 is fastened to the printed circuit board 50 and establishes an electric connection between a conductor 30 which is connected to the contact 2 and the metallized through opening 40 of the printed circuit board 50.
(37) FIG. 7 shows the direct plug-in connector 1 in an exploded illustration or pulled-apart illustration.
(38) FIGS. 8 and 9 in each case show a view of the contact 2 obliquely from the front and obliquely from the rear, respectively. The contact 2 has a connector section 13. The connector section 13 is configured to establish an electric connection to the conductor 30 and to fasten the conductor 30 to the contact 2. To this end, the conductor 30 is placed into the connector section 13 of the contact 2, and a pressure-type connection or press-in connection is established between the contact 2 and the conductor 30 by way of crimping of the connector section 13. The connector section can be of any desired configuration within the context of the invention, for example also as an insulation displacement contact or as a solder tail.
(39) Furthermore, the contact 2 has a securing section 20, an end 27 of the securing section 20, which end 27 faces the connector section 13, being bent away with respect to the contact arm plane 16, in which the contact arms 3a, 3b and the remaining securing section 20 lie. In the assembled state of the direct plug-in connector 1, the securing section 20 is arranged within the housing 17 (see also FIG. 3) and secures the contact 2 against falling out of the housing 17. When a conductor 30 is connected by way of the contact 2 to the connector section 13 and the conductor 30 is pulled, the bent-away ends 27 of the securing section 20 butt against a bead 28 of the second housing part 19, which prevents the contact 2 from being pulled out of the housing 17. In other words, a positively locking connection between the bead 28 and the end 27 prevents the contact 2 from falling out of the housing 17.
(40) The contact 2 is configured integrally from one piece of flat sheet metal material. The sheet metal material is first of all punched or lasered, in order subsequently to configure the connector section 13 and the end 27 of the securing section 20 by way of bending.
(41) Furthermore, FIGS. 8 and 9 show that the contact 2 defines an intermediate space 6, the first contact arm 3a and the second contact arm 3b delimiting the intermediate space 6 at least partially. In the fastening position of the locking pin 5, the locking pin 5 is arranged within the intermediate space 6 (see also FIG. 3). To this end, the locking pin 5 has a first groove 7a, within which the first contact arm 3a is arranged partially, and a second groove 7b, within which the second contact arm 3b is arranged partially (see also FIG. 1). Because the two contact arms 3a, 3b are arranged so as to lie opposite one another, the grooves 7a, 7b are likewise arranged so as to lie opposite one another.
(42) FIGS. 10 and 11 in each case show an oblique view of the first housing part 18. The first housing part 18 has a contact recess 24. The contact recess 24 is provided such that, in the case of the assembly of the direct plug-in connector 1, the contact 2 can be inserted into the first housing part 18 in such a way that the two contact arms 3a, 3b protrude partially out of the first housing part 18 and are arranged between the two latching arms 9a, 9b.
(43) FIGS. 12 and 13 in each case show a sectional view of the first housing part 18, the sectional plane IV-IV in FIG. 12 being the latching arm plane 14 from FIG. 2, and the sectional plane III-III in FIG. 13 being the contact arm plane 16 from FIG. 2.
(44) FIGS. 14 and 15 in each case show an oblique view of the second housing part 19 with the locking pin 5 which is configured in one piece and the two grooves 7a, 7b.
(45) FIGS. 16 and 17 in each case show a sectional view of the second housing part 19, the sectional plane IV-IV in FIG. 16 being the latching arm plane 14 from FIG. 2, and the sectional plane III-III in FIG. 17 being the contact arm plane 16 from FIG. 2.
(46) FIGS. 18 and 19 in each case show a different perspective of the sectional views of the second housing part 19 from FIGS. 16 and 17.
(47) FIG. 20 shows an oblique view of the second housing part 19 from FIG. 14 from a different perspective. The second housing part 19 has an upper latching opening 25a and a lower latching opening 25b. Latching lugs 26 of the first housing part 18 can engage into the said latching openings 25a, 25b (see also FIG. 11). When the first housing part 18 and the second housing part 19 are in the first relative position, the latching lug 26 is arranged within the lower latching opening 25b. When the first housing part 18 and the second housing part 19 are in the second relative position, the latching lug 26 is arranged within the upper latching opening 25a. Therefore, the first relative position and the second relative position of the two housing parts 18, 19 and therefore also the unlocked state and the locked state of the locking pin 5 are fixed by way of the latching lug 26 and the latching openings 25a, 25b. If a user transfers the two housing parts 18, 19 between the two relative positions by way of pressing or pulling on the second housing part 19, the user perceives as a result of the latching of the latching lug 26 into one of the two latching openings 25a, 25b that the first relative position or the second relative position is now reached.
(48) FIG. 21 shows a sectional view of the direct plug-in connector 1, the associated sectional plane being shown in FIG. 2 by way of the reference sign XXI-XXI. The first housing part 18 has a centring element 21 in the form of a centring pin which is received in a corresponding centring element 22 in the form of a centring opening of the printed circuit board. The centring element 21 is provided to position the direct plug-in connector 1 correctly in the case of fastening to the printed circuit board 50 and, in the fastened state on the printed circuit board 50, to prevent a rotation of the direct plug-in connector 1.
(49) FIG. 22 shows a sectional view of a direct plug-in connector 1′. The direct plug-in connector 1′ is an alternative exemplary embodiment of the direct plug-in connector 1 from FIGS. 1-21, identical reference signs being used for identical and functionally equivalent elements for improved comprehension, and it being possible to this extent for reference to be made to the above comments with respect to the exemplary embodiments of FIG. 1 to FIG. 21, with the result that essentially merely the existing differences will be described in the following text. The locking pin 5 and the two contact arms 3a, 3b in each case have a run-up slope 23. When the two housing parts 18, 19 are transferred from the first relative position into the second relative position, the run-up slopes 23 come into contact and interact in such a way that the contact arms 3a, 3b are pressed to the outside. When the contact arms 3a, 3b are inserted into the metallized through opening 40 and the two housing parts 18, 19 assume the second relative position, as shown in FIG. 22, the contact arms 3a, 3b are prestressed or pressed against a wall of the metallized through opening 40. As a result, a greater stability of the electric connection between the contact arms 3a, 3b and the metallized through opening 40 is achieved. This can be of great advantage, for example, in the case of mobile applications, in the case of which the direct plug-in connector 1′ and the printed circuit board 50 are subjected to vibrations.
(50) As the exemplary embodiments which are shown and described above make clear, the invention provides a direct plug-in connector which has a compact overall design, is inexpensive to produce, and increases the stability and reliability of an electric connection.
