SOCKET BODY

Abstract

A socket body (1) having a socket space (3), which is delimited by a socket wall (2) and extends along a central axis (M), for receiving a plug pin, the socket space (3) having a socket opening (6) via which the plug pin can be pushed into the socket space (3), wherein at least one indentation (4), viewed in cross-section transversely to the central axis (M), extends through the socket wall (2) angularly inclined at an angle (a) with respect to the central axis (M) in such a way that at least one spring clip (5) is formed, which spring clip (5) is bent into the socket space (3), and wherein the spring clip (5) has at the front an edge (7) facing the socket space.

Claims

1.-23. (canceled)

24. A socket body comprising a socket space which is delimited by a socket wall and extends along a center axis for receiving a plug pin, the socket space having a socket opening, via which the plug pin can be pushed into the socket space, wherein at least one cut extends through the socket wall in such a way that at least one spring clip is formed, which spring clip is bent into the socket space, wherein the spring clip has at least one or a single indentation in such a way that one contact location or one contact point, for making contact with a plug pin which is to be pushed into the socket space is formed on either side of the indentation and wherein the spring clip has, on the front side, an edge which faces the socket space, said indentation being arranged at the edge.

25. The socket body according to claim 24, wherein the at least one indentation interrupts the edge completely in the region of the indentation.

26. The socket body according to claim 24, wherein the at least one indentation extends into a front face, facing the socket opening, of the spring clip and/or into a wall face, facing the socket opening, of the spring clip.

27. The socket body according to claim 25, wherein the at least one indentation extends into a front face, facing the socket opening, of the spring clip and/or into a wall face, facing the socket opening, of the spring clip.

28. The socket body according claim 24, wherein the at least one indentation extends into a front face, facing the socket opening, of the spring clip and/or into a wall face, facing the socket opening, of the spring clip, and wherein the at least one indentation extends from the edge, as viewed in a direction transversely with respect to the center axis, completely over the front face, or wherein the at least one indentation extends from the edge, as viewed in a direction transversely with respect to the center axis, at most over half of the front face.

29. The socket body according to claim 24, wherein the contact points are formed on the edge.

30. The socket body according to claim 24, wherein the contact points are formed on the edge and that a contact point lies at an end point of the edge which forms the transition to the indentation.

31. The socket body according to claim 24, wherein, opposite the indentation with the two contact points with regard to the center axis, a third contact point is provided by the surface of the socket wall.

32. The socket body according to claim 24, wherein, opposite the indentation with the two contact points with regard to the center axis, a third contact point is provided by the surface of the socket wall, and wherein the third contact point lies between the two contact points as viewed in the direction of the center axis, in such a way that a line which extends at a right angle with respect to the center axis and through the third contact point runs centrally between the two contact points which are provided by the indentation.

33. The socket body according to claim 24, wherein at least one further cut forms a further spring clip which is configured substantially identically to said spring clip.

34. The socket body according to claim 24, wherein the cut extends, as viewed in cross-section transversely with respect to the center axis, in an angularly inclined manner at an angle with respect to the center axis.

35. The socket body according to claim 24, wherein the cut extends, as viewed in cross-section transversely with respect to the center axis, in an angularly inclined manner at an angle with respect to the center axis and wherein the cut runs over a first section in an angularly inclined manner at the angle (a) with respect to the center axis, and runs in a second section parallel to the center axis.

36. The socket body according to claim 24, wherein the spring clip is oriented with a free end toward the socket opening or away from the socket opening.

37. The socket body according to claim 24, wherein the indentation extends, with regard to the circumference of the socket space, over a circumferential angle (β) of at most 25°, of, in particular, at most 10° or of at most 5°.

38. The socket body according to claim 24, wherein the at least one indentation is provided by a stamped location; and/or wherein the at least one indentation is provided by plastic reshaping and/or machining of the edge.

39. The socket body according to claim 24, wherein the socket space or the socket opening defines a geometrical envelope cylinder with a circular cross section, the indentation lying exclusively in the interior of the envelope cylinder.

40. The socket body according to claim 24, wherein, in a first step, the socket body is produced with the cut and the spring clip; and wherein, in a second step, the indentation is produced, a tool for producing the indentation being guided via the socket opening into the socket space as far as the edge.

41. A socket body comprising a socket space which is delimited by a socket wall and extends along a center axis for receiving a plug pin, the socket space having a socket opening, via which the plug pin can be pushed into the socket space, wherein at least one cut extends through the socket wall in such a way that at least one spring clip is formed, which spring clip is bent into the socket space, wherein the spring clip has at least one or a single indentation in such a way that one contact location or one contact point, for making contact with a plug pin which is to be pushed into the socket space is formed on either side of the indentation, and wherein the spring clip has a wall face which faces the socket space, the wall face which faces the socket space having a region with a decreased diameter, and the indentation extending into the wall face in the region with the decreased diameter.

42. The socket body according to claim 41, wherein the region with the decreased diameter has a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the socket opening.

43. The socket body according to claim 41, wherein said region has a minimum internal diameter, the indentation extending through this minimum internal diameter as viewed in the direction of the center axis.

44. The socket body according to claim 41, wherein said region has a minimum internal diameter, the indentation extending through this minimum internal diameter as viewed in the direction of the center axis.

45. The socket body according to claim 41, wherein there are at least two spring clips, which spring clips are arranged in a uniformly distributed manner around the circumference of the socket opening.

46. The socket body according to claim 41, wherein the at least one spring clip is connected on each end to the socket wall, and wherein the region with the decreased diameter lies between the two connection locations, and/or wherein the spring clip is formed on both sides by a cut, the cuts extending parallel to the center axis.

47. The socket body according to claim 41, wherein at least one of the indentations lies centrally on the spring clip as viewed in the direction of the center axis.

48. The socket body according to claim 41, wherein the indentation extends, with regard to the circumference of the socket space, over a circumferential angle of at most 25°, of, in particular, at most 10° or of at most 5°.

49. The socket body according to claim 41, wherein the at least one indentation is provided by a stamped location; and/or wherein the at least one indentation is provided by plastic reshaping and/or machining of the edge.

50. The socket body according to claim 41, wherein the socket space or the socket opening defines a geometrical envelope cylinder with a circular cross section, the indentation lying exclusively in the interior of the envelope cylinder.

51. The socket body according to claim 41, wherein, in a first step, the socket body is produced with the cut and the spring clip; and wherein, in a second step, the indentation is produced, a tool for producing the indentation being guided via the socket opening into the socket space as far as the edge.

52. A method for producing a socket body according to claim 24, wherein in a first step, the socket body is produced with the cut and the spring clip; and wherein, in a second step, the indentation is produced, a tool for producing the indentation being guided via the socket opening into the socket space as far as the location of the indentation.

53. A method for producing a socket body according to claim 41, wherein in a first step, the socket body is produced with the cut and the spring clip; and wherein, in a second step, the indentation is produced, a tool for producing the indentation being guided via the socket opening into the socket space as far as the location of the indentation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0065] Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in the following on the basis of the drawings which serve merely for explanation and are not to be interpreted as restrictive. In the drawings:

[0066] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a socket body in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention before the placement of an indentation,

[0067] FIG. 2 shows a further perspective view of the socket body according to FIG. 1,

[0068] FIG. 3 shows the view according to FIG. 1 after the placement of the indentation,

[0069] FIG. 4 shows the view according to FIG. 2 after the placement of the indentation,

[0070] FIG. 5 shows a front view of the socket body according to FIGS. 3 to 4, and

[0071] FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the socket body according to FIGS. 3 to 4,

[0072] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a socket body according to a second embodiment of the present invention before the placement of an indentation,

[0073] FIG. 8 shows a further perspective view of the socket body according to FIG. 7,

[0074] FIG. 9 shows the view according to FIG. 7 after the placement of the indentation,

[0075] FIG. 10 shows the view according to FIG. 8 after the placement of the indentation,

[0076] FIG. 11 shows a front view of the socket body according to FIGS. 9 to 10, and

[0077] FIG. 12 shows a sectional view of the socket body according to FIGS. 9 to 10.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0078] FIGS. 1 to 6 show a socket body 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 7 to 12 show a socket body 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Identical parts have identical reference signs. The socket body 1 is manufactured from an electrically conducting material and serves to receive a plug pin (not shown in the figures), wherein it is possible for an electric contact to be made between the socket body 1 and the plug pin.

[0079] FIGS. 1 to 2 show the socket body 1 in an intermediate step during the production. FIGS. 3 to 6 show the finally produced socket body 1.

[0080] The socket body 1 according to the two embodiments comprises a socket space 3 which is delimited by a socket wall 2 and extends along a center axis M for receiving a plug pin. In the extension of the center axis M, the socket space 3 is adjoined by a contact section 19. The contact section 19 is connected to a further electric conductor (not shown in the figures), such as for example to a cable.

[0081] The socket space 3 has a socket opening 6, via which the plug pin can be pushed into the socket space 3. In the two embodiments, the socket body 1 has at least one cut 4 in the socket wall 2, by which cut 4 a spring clip 5 is formed. The spring clip 5 according to the first embodiment has a free end 17, with which the spring clip 5 protrudes into the socket space 3, and the spring clip 5 according to the second embodiment is connected on each end to the socket wall 2, the spring clip 5 protruding into the socket space 3 with its wall face 11 which faces the socket space 3.

[0082] According to the first embodiment, the cut 4 extends, as viewed in cross section transversely with respect to the center axis M, through the socket wall 2 in an angularly inclined manner at an angle α with respect to the center axis M, in such a way that at least one spring clip 5 is formed. The spring clip 5 is bent into the socket opening 3 and protrudes into the socket space 3. Between the spring clip 5 and the plug pin which is to be pushed into the socket space 3, an electric contact can be established between the plug pin and the socket body 1.

[0083] On the front side, the spring clip 5 has an edge 7 which faces the socket space 3. This is the edge 7, with which the plug pin comes into contact during the push-in operation. After the production of the socket body 1 and the spring clip 5, the edge 7 is a continuous edge, which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Accordingly, the edge 7 does not have any interruption. Due to the manufacturing, it cannot be ruled out that the edge 7 has a burr which is disadvantageous for the plug-in operation. This is the case, in particular, with regard to abrasion and uncontrolled electric contact.

[0084] According to the invention, the spring clip 5 has at least one, in particular precisely a single, indentation 8 at the edge 7. The indentation 8 interrupts the edge 7 after its production. The indentation 8 is shown in FIGS. 3 to 6. The indentation 8 is arranged in such a way that one contact point 9 for contacting a plug pin which is to be pushed into the socket space 3 is formed on each side of the indentation 8. The contact point 9 is formed by the end of the edge 7 at the transition of the edge 7 into the indentation 8.

[0085] The indentation 8 which is shown in the figures is an indentation 8 which extends from the front into the spring clip 5. That is to say, the indentation 8 is arranged at the free end 17 of the spring clip 5. The free end 17 is the end which is not fixed. Opposite the free end 17 there is the fixed end 18 of the spring clip, via which fixed end 18 the spring clip 5 is connected to the socket body 1. In the embodiment which is shown, the free end 17 is oriented toward the socket opening 6, with the result that, during the push-in operation, the plug pin first comes into contact with the free end 17, that is to say with the edge 7 and the indentation 8. During the further push-in operation, the plug pin is then pushed in the direction of the fixed end 18.

[0086] The indentation 8 is a mechanical indentation which may also be called a dent or recess. The term “indentation” is understood to mean a structure which extends into the spring clip 5 and provides a corresponding cavity which may be very small. As viewed from the front in the direction of the center axis M, the indentation 8 lies centrally on the spring clip 5. This can be seen clearly in FIG. 5. Here, the indentation 8 lies directly above the center axis M. The at least one indentation 8 interrupts the edge 7 completely in the region of the indentation 8. That is to say, the edge 7, as is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is interrupted completely by the indentation, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6. The edge 7 no longer exists in the region of the indentation 8.

[0087] In the embodiment which is shown, the spring clip 5 has a front face 10 which is visible from the front through the socket opening 6, and a wall face 11 which faces the socket space 3. Here, the indentation 8 extends into the front face 10 and into the wall face 11.

[0088] This is therefore an indentation 8 which, starting from the edge 7, extends both into the front face 10 and into the wall face 11. With regard to the radial direction Z transversely with respect to the center axis M, the indentation 8 extends, depending on the configuration of the spring clip 5, radially substantially completely over the front face 10, or else the indentation 8 extends from the edge 7 in the radial direction over the front face 10 by at most half of the front face 10.

[0089] With regard to the circumference of the socket space 3, the indentation 8 extends over a circumferential angle β of at most 25°, in particular at most 10° or at most 5°, around the circumference. It is accordingly a very small region in which the indentation 8 is present.

[0090] The at least one indentation 8 is preferably provided by a stamped location. A stamped location can be produced by way of plastic reshaping. In other embodiments, the indentation 8 is provided by way of plastic reshaping and/or machining of the edge 7.

[0091] As has already been mentioned, contact points 9 are formed on the edge 7; in particular, the contact points 9 are provided in each case at an end point 12 of the edge 7 which forms the transition to the indentation 8. A consideration of FIG. 5 makes it clear that, in the embodiment which is shown, a third contact point 13 is arranged opposite the indentation 8 with regard to the center axis M. The plug pin is in electric contact with the socket body 1 via three contact points 9, 13. The third contact point 13 is provided substantially by way of the surface 14 of the socket body 2 opposite the two contact points 9 or opposite the indentation 8. The third contact point 13 can be punctiform or linear.

[0092] As viewed in the direction of the center axis M, the third contact point 13 lies between the two contact points 9 in such a way that the line L which extends at a right angle with respect to the center axis M and through the third contact point 13 runs centrally between the two contact points 9 which are provided by the indentation 8. In other words, a triangle is defined between the contact points 9 and 13, which triangle is an acute triangle. Advantageous electric contacting with regard to the plug pin can be achieved by way of these three contact points.

[0093] In other embodiments, a further cut may also form a further spring clip 5 which is substantially identically configured to the above-described spring clip including the indentation 8. For example, it may be conceivable that two spring clips 5 are arranged so as to lie opposite one another, or that more than two spring clips 5 are arranged in regular angular sections with respect to one another. Here, the third contact point would then not be provided by the surface of the socket space 3, but rather by the additional spring clips or the contact points 9 which are arranged laterally with respect to the indentations 8.

[0094] The socket space 3 defines a geometrical envelope cylinder with a circular cross section. The indentation 8 lies in this case exclusively in the interior of the envelope cylinder. The envelope cylinder can be seen from FIG. 5. The envelope cylinder has the reference sign H. Such an arrangement of the indentation is advantageous because the indentation 8 can take place by way of a tool being fed in via the socket opening 6.

[0095] It can be seen clearly from FIG. 6 that the cut runs over the first section 15 in an angularly inclined manner at the angle α with respect to the center axis M. In the second section 16, the cut 4 then runs parallel to the center axis M. Other shapes of cuts such as, for example, a curved cut would likewise be conceivable.

[0096] FIGS. 7 to 12 show the second embodiment of the present invention. Identical parts are provided with identical reference signs, and reference is made to the above description.

[0097] FIGS. 7 to 8 show the socket body 1 in an intermediate step during production. FIGS. 9 to 12 show the finally produced socket body 1.

[0098] The second embodiment has at least one spring clip 5 which is connected at its two ends 20 fixedly to the socket body 1. In the embodiment which is shown, three spring clips 5 are arranged. The spring clip 5 protrudes radially into the socket space 3. Toward the socket space 3, the spring clip 5 has a wall face 11 which faces the socket space. The wall face 11 has a region 21 with a decreased diameter. Said indentation 8 is arranged in this region 21 with the decreased diameter. Here, the indentation extends in the direction of the center axis M through the region 21 with the decreased diameter and in the radial direction into the wall face 11. At the narrowest part, laterally with respect to said indentation, two contact locations, in particular two contact points 9, are thereby provided.

[0099] The region 21 with the decreased diameter has a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the socket opening 6. In the embodiment which is shown, the wall face 11 extends, as viewed from the socket opening 6, conically as far as the minimum diameter and subsequently widens conically again. Here, the indentation 8 is arranged in the region of the minimum diameter.

[0100] During pushing of a plug pin into the socket space 3, the at least one spring clip is bent away from the center axis M transversely with respect to the center axis M.

[0101] The at least one spring clip 5 is provided by two cuts 4 which lie parallel to one another and parallel to the center axis M. The cuts 4 extend from the outside completely through the socket wall 2.

[0102] FIG. 11 shows, furthermore, the circumferential angle β of the indentation. With regard to the circumference of the socket space 3, the indentation 8 extends over a circumferential angle β of at most 25°, in particular of at most 10° or at most 5°, around the circumference. It is accordingly a very small region in which the indentation 8 is present. The angle may however also be greater than 10°.

[0103] The sectional illustration of FIG. 12 shows that the indentation 8 extends through said region 21 with the decreased diameter. Here, the indentation 8 extends, as viewed from the minimum diameter which theoretically forms a line, in the direction of the socket opening 6 and in the direction of the contact section 19.

[0104] A method for producing a socket body 1 according to the above description in accordance with both embodiments is carried out as follows: in a first step, the socket body 1 is produced with the cut 4 and the spring clip 5. In a second step, the indentation 8 is produced, a tool for producing the indentation 8 being guided via the socket opening 6 into the socket space 3 as far as the location of the indentation. The tool can be a machining tool or an embossing stylus.

TABLE-US-00001 LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS 1 Socket body 2 Socket wall 3 Socket space 4 Cut 5 Spring clip 6 Socket opening 7 Edge 8 Indentation 9 Contact point 10 Front face 11 Wall face 12 End point 13 Third contact point 14 Surface 15 First section 16 Second section 17 Free end 18 Fixed end 19 Contact section 20 End 21 Region H Envelope cylinder L Line M Center axis Z Direction α Angle β Angle