PLUG CONNECTOR

Abstract

A plug connector, having a housing that has at least one slot for accommodating an exchangeable function module. The housing is configured for accommodating a supply unit and/or a locking unit in order to fasten the function module to the housing in a form-fit and/or force-fit manner.

Claims

1. A plug connector, comprising: a housing that has at least one slot for accommodating an exchangeable function module, wherein the housing is configured for accommodating a supply unit and/or a locking unit in order to fasten the function module to the housing in a form-fit and/or force-fit manner.

2. The plug connector according to claim 1, comprising: at least one exchangeable function module that is accommodated in the slot; and an exchangeable supply unit, wherein: the supply unit is configured for supplying power to the function module and/or for transmitting signals between the function module and a control unit; and the supply unit has at least one molded element that is configured for fastening the function module to the housing in a form-fit and/or force-fit manner; and/or the molded element of the supply unit is used for contacting the function module with the supply unit, in particular the molded element being part of a bus system.

3. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein: the molded element has at least one pin that is situated in openings in the housing and in the function module; and/or at least two molded elements are provided that are situated in openings in the housing and in the function module.

4. The plug connector according to claim 3, wherein: the openings in the housing and in the function module are situated coaxially, or have concentrically situated cross sections, viewed along an axis; and/or the openings and the pin have a circular cylindrical shape; and/or a clearance fit is formed between the openings (32, 42) and the pin.

5. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein: the function module is insertable into the slot along an insertion direction; and a longitudinal extension of the molded element is oriented transversely with respect to the insertion direction, essentially orthogonally with respect to the insertion direction.

6. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein: the supply unit has a microcontroller; and/or the supply unit has an RFID tag; and/or the supply unit has one or more sensors; and/or the supply unit has a temperature sensor; and/or the supply unit has a status display such as an LED; and/or the supply unit has a voltage converter; and/or the supply unit has an analog/digital converter.

7. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein: the function module is a sensor module; and/or the function module has one or more sensors; and/or the function module has one or more status displays; and/or two or more slots and/or function modules are provided.

8. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein: the function module is at least partially or completely integrated into an installation space of the housing; and/or the function module rests with a first section against a first side of a housing wall, and a second section is associated with a second side of the housing wall facing away from the first side, wherein the second section is not integrated into an installation space of the housing.

9. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein: the slot is associated with a pole and is open toward a cable terminal side; and/or the slot adjoins a metallic contact element that is configured for conducting current during operation of the plug connector; and/or the function module rests against a metallic contact element that is configured for conducting current during operation of the plug connector.

10. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein: the supply unit has an enclosure that rests against an outer surface of the housing facing away from the function module; and/or the supply unit is connected to the housing in a form-fit and/or force-fit manner.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to drawings based on one embodiment, which schematically show the following:

[0041] FIG. 1A shows a plug connector according to the invention in a perspective view from above;

[0042] FIG. 1B shows the plug connector from FIG. 1A in a side view;

[0043] FIG. 1C shows the plug connector from FIG. 1A in a rear view;

[0044] FIG. 1D shows a section along the line D-D from FIG. 1C;

[0045] FIG. 2A shows another plug connector according to the invention in a perspective view from above;

[0046] FIG. 2B shows the plug connector from FIG. 2A in a side view;

[0047] FIG. 2C shows the plug connector from FIG. 2A in a rear view;

[0048] FIG. 2D shows a section along the line D-D from FIG. 2C;

[0049] FIG. 3A shows another plug connector according to the invention in a perspective view from above;

[0050] FIG. 3B shows a housing of the plug connector from FIG. 3A in a perspective view from above;

[0051] FIG. 3C shows a supply unit of the plug connector from FIG. 3A in a perspective view from above; and

[0052] FIG. 3D shows a function module of the plug connector from FIG. 3A in a perspective view from above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] FIG. 1A shows a plug connector 2. The plug connector 2 has a housing 4.

[0054] The housing 4 has four slots 6, 8, 10, 12 for accommodating function modules 14, 16, 18, 20, respectively. The function modules 14, 16, 18, 20 are exchangeably accommodated in the respective slots 6, 8, 10, 12.

[0055] In addition, the plug connector 2 has an exchangeable supply unit 22. The supply unit 22 is configured for supplying power to the function modules 14, 16, 18, 20 and for transmitting signals between the function modules 14, 16, 18, 20 and a control unit 24, in the present case the control unit 24 being integrated into the supply unit 22.

[0056] The supply unit 22 in the present case has two molded elements 26, 28 that are configured for fastening the function modules 14, 16, 18, 20 to the housing 4 in a form-fit manner.

[0057] The molded elements 26, 28 of the supply unit 22 are configured for contacting the function modules 14, 16, 18, 20 with the supply unit 22. Accordingly, the molded elements 26, 28 are used for fastening the function modules 14, 16, 18, 20 to the housing 4 and also for establishing an electrically conductive connection of the function modules 14, 16, 18, 20 to the supply unit 22.

[0058] The molded elements 26, 28 of the supply unit 22 are part of a bus system (not illustrated), the supply unit 22 being connectable to the bus system via the line 30.

[0059] The molded elements 26, 28 in the present case are designed as pins 26, 28 that have a circular cross section and are provided in coaxially situated through openings 32, 34 in the housing 4 and in the function modules 14, 16, 18, 20. A first row of aligned openings 32, 34 is associated with the pin 26. A second row of aligned openings 32, 34 is associated with the pin 28.

[0060] A clearance fit is formed between the openings 32, 34 and the pins 26, 28.

[0061] The function modules 14, 16, 18, 20 are insertable into their respective slot 6, 8, 10, 12 along an insertion direction R, as shown for the function module 14 by way of example.

[0062] In the present case, a longitudinal extension L of the molded elements or pins 26, 28 is oriented orthogonally with respect to the insertion direction R.

[0063] The supply unit 22 in the present case has a microcontroller, an RFID tag, a temperature sensor, a status display, a voltage converter, and an analog/digital converter. It is understood that according to further exemplary embodiments, one or more analog/digital converters may be an integral part of the microcontroller.

[0064] In the present case, each of the function modules 14, 16, 18, 20 has a plurality of sensors and/or status displays.

[0065] As is apparent in FIGS. 1A through 1D, the function modules 14, 16, 18, 20 are essentially completely integrated into an installation space of the housing 4.

[0066] Associated with each slot 6, 8, 10, 12 is a pole for connecting a conductor in each case to a cable terminal opening 36, 38, 40, 42 for insertion and clamping of a conductor end. As illustrated for the cable terminal opening 36 by way of example, a screw 44 is used in each case for narrowing the cross section of a cable terminal opening 36, 38, 40, 42.

[0067] Each slot 6, 8, 10, 12, in each case with the function module 14, 16, 18, 20 uninstalled, is open toward a cable terminal side 46. Each slot 6, 8, 10, 12 adjoins a metallic contact element 48 that is configured for conducting current during operation of the plug connector 2, as illustrated in FIG. 1D for the slot 6 by way of example. The sensor module with a sensor bar 50 adjoins a contact area 52 in order to detect operating parameters of an electrically conductive plug-in connection during operation of the plug connector 2.

[0068] FIG. 2 shows another variant of a plug connector 54 according to the invention. To avoid repetition, the following discussion addresses only differences of the plug connector 54 from the plug connector 2 described above, with identical components or features being denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0069] The plug connector 54 has function modules 56, 58, 60, 62, each of which is only partially integrated into the installation space of the housing 4. In particular, the slots 6, 8, 10, 12, observed in a cross section (FIG. 2D), have a narrower design than in the exemplary embodiments described above for FIG. 1.

[0070] The function module 56 with a first section 64 adjoins a first side 66 of a housing wall 68 of the housing 4. A second section 70 of the function module 56 is associated with a second side 72 of the housing wall 68 facing away from the first side 66. The second section 70 is not integrated into the installation space of the housing 4.

[0071] For illustration of the basic design of a plug connector according to the invention, FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of a plug connector 74 according to the invention, illustrated in a greatly simplified manner.

[0072] FIG. 3A shows an assembly drawing of the plug connector 74, having a supply unit 22, a housing 4, and four installed function modules 14, 16, 18, 20.

[0073] FIG. 3B shows the housing 4 of the plug connector 74 by itself.

[0074] FIG. 3C shows the supply unit 22 of the plug connector 74 by itself.

[0075] FIG. 3D shows an example of the function module 14 in an isolated illustration. It is understood that the plug connector 74 may be equipped with only a single function module 14, resulting in an at least three-part design of the plug connector 74.

[0076] The supply unit 22 has an enclosure 76 within which a microcontroller, an RFID tag, a temperature sensor, a status display, a voltage converter, and an analog/digital converter are accommodated.

[0077] The enclosure 76 rests against an outer surface 78 of the housing 4 facing away from the function modules 14, 16, 18, 20. The supply unit 22 is connected to the housing 4 in a form-fit manner.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0078] 2 plug connector [0079] 4 housing [0080] 6 slot [0081] 8 slot [0082] 10 slot [0083] 12 slot [0084] 14 function module/sensor module [0085] 16 function module/sensor module [0086] 18 function module/sensor module [0087] 20 function module/sensor module [0088] 22 supply unit [0089] 24 control unit [0090] 26 molded element/pin [0091] 28 molded element/pin [0092] 30 line [0093] 32 through opening [0094] 34 through opening [0095] 36 cable terminal opening [0096] 38 cable terminal opening [0097] 40 cable terminal opening [0098] 42 cable terminal opening [0099] 44 screw [0100] 46 cable terminal side [0101] 48 contact element [0102] 50 sensor bar [0103] 52 contact area [0104] 54 plug connector [0105] 56 function module/sensor module [0106] 58 function module/sensor module [0107] 60 function module/sensor module [0108] 62 function module/sensor module [0109] 64 first section [0110] 66 first side [0111] 68 housing wall [0112] 70 second section [0113] 72 second side [0114] 74 plug connector [0115] 76 enclosure [0116] L longitudinal extension [0117] R insertion direction