Angled plug connection and method for its production

Abstract

A plug connector, particularly a high-current plug connector, is provided that includes at least one electrical contact part having a sleeve with a receiving space on an inner side for receiving a plug-in contact that is inserted along a longitudinal axis of the plug connector. The electrical contact part further includes at least one contact spring attached to the inner side of the sleeve that is in sliding contact with a locking bolt capable of being guided in the sleeve between a first end position and a second end position. The plug connector includes a plug casing accommodating the contact part having at least one cable guide branching off essentially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the plug connector. An electric line is attached to the contact part being guidable from the plug casing in a direction essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the plug connector.

Claims

1. A plug connector comprising: at least one electrical contact part, each electrical contact part comprising: a sleeve defining a receiving space on an inner side of the sleeve configured for receiving a plug-in contact along a longitudinal axis of the plug connector; and at least one contact spring attached to the inner side of the sleeve, wherein the at least one contact spring is in sliding contact with a locking bolt configured to be guided in the sleeve between a first end position and a second end position; an electric line attached to the at least one electrical contact part; a plug casing accommodating the at least one electrical contact part and having at least one cable guide branching off perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the plug connector; and a plug casing lock at least partially grasping the at least one electrical contact part, wherein the plug casing lock is slidably accommodated in the plug casing and includes a cable guide recess, wherein the electric line attached to the contact part is guidable from the plug casing via the at least one cable guide and the cable guide recess perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the plug connector wherein the plug casing lock includes at least one locking arm positively grasping an end of the locking bolt projecting past the sleeve and in an installed state the locking bolt is carried along by a receiving slot of the locking bolt.

2. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical contact part includes a flat side and is arranged standing or lying on a narrow side in the plug casing.

3. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein the at least one locking arm slants from a main body of the plug casing lock toward the longitudinal axis of the plug connector or the contact part.

4. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein the plug casing lock includes at least one pair of locking arms that clamps and secures the at least one electrical contact part.

5. The plug connector according to claim 4, wherein the locking arms define receiving slots at their free ends to receive locking bolts of the electrical contact part.

6. The plug connector according to claim 4, wherein the plug casing lock further includes a resilient locking tab disposed between each pair of locking arms.

7. The plug connector according to claim 6, wherein the resilient locking tab is configured to allow the plug casing lock to move against an insertion direction (R) when the plug-in contact is inserted into the electrical contact part.

8. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein the plug casing lock includes a main body and an operating tab extends from the main body in a direction of insertion (R).

9. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein the plug casing is closed by a plug casing cap on an end face of the plug casing that is oriented away from a header, the plug casing cap being configured to hold the electrical contact part.

10. The plug connector according to claim 9, wherein the plug casing cap holds the electrical contact part in place while simultaneously allowing movement of a plug casing lock relative to the electrical contact part.

11. The plug connector according to claim 9, wherein the plug casing cap forms part of the cable guide.

12. The plug connector according to claim 9, wherein the plug casing cap is configured to be latched to the end face of the plug casing.

13. The plug connector according to claim 9, wherein the plug casing cap further includes at least one detent lug configured to engage with at least one latch opening of the plug casing.

14. The plug connector according to claim 9, wherein the plug casing cap further includes at least one detent overhang configured to latch to at least one latching channel of the plug casing.

15. The plug connector according to claim 9, wherein the plug casing cap further includes a centric latch edge configured to catch a centric detent tab of the plug casing such that the plug casing cap is secured to the plug casing.

16. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve of the electrical contact part includes a detent tongue configured to engage an inside part of the plug casing to lock the electrical contact part and the plug casing together.

17. The plug connector according to claim 1, wherein the plug casing includes a resilient detent tongue configured to latch a latching web of a header to lock the plug casing and the header together.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In order that the disclosure may be well understood, there will now be described various forms thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a plug connector that is plugged into a header according to the present disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective exploded view of a plug connector according to the present disclosure;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a plug casing as a separate part according to the present disclosure; and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a plug casing lock as a separate part according to the present disclosure.

(6) The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

(8) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a plug connector 1 that is arranged at an angle with regard to the orientation of its cable outlet A to its longitudinal axis L, since the cable outlet A is approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the plug connector. In other words, the plug connector's longitudinal axis L and the line outlet A enclose an angle of 90.

(9) The plug connector 1 is shown in FIG. 1 in a plugged condition. It is particularly well suited as a high-current plug connector to form a plug connection in an on-board electrical system of a vehicle. The plug connector 1 is shown here with two poles as an example. However, it may also be designed with a single pole or multiple poles.

(10) The structure of the plug connector 1 will now be explained on the basis of the exploded view of the plug connector 1 shown in FIG. 2. The plug connector 1 in the two-pole variant shown here is essentially comprised of a plug casing 2, a first electrical (plug-in) contact part 3 accommodated therein, a second electrical (plug-in) contact part 4, a first electric line 5 attached to the first contact part 3, a second electric line 6 attached to the second contact part 4, a plug casing lock 7 functioning as a CPA (connector position assurance), a plug casing cap 8 and a socket part referred to as a header 9 and having a first plug-in contact 9.1 (see FIG. 1) and a second plug-in contact 9.2 (see FIG. 1). It follows that the first and the second plug-in contacts 9.1, 9.2 of the header 9 are plugged into the respective contact part 3, 4 in a direction of insertion R.

(11) The plug casing 2 is configured to accommodate the two contact parts 3, 4 and at least a portion of the plug casing lock 7 interacting therewith, in a respective contact chamber part 2.1, 2.2. The contact parts 3, 4 are held in the plug casing 2 in such a way that they are primarily locked in the interior of the plug casing 2 and are thereby secured at least against movement along the longitudinal axis L of the plug connector. The plug casing cap 8 acts as a sort of secondary lock holding the contact parts 3, 4 in place in the contact chamber parts 2.1, 2.2. The plug casing lock 7 is accommodated in the plug casing 2 in such a way that it can be reciprocated along the plug connector's longitudinal axis L, between the plug casing 2 and the contact parts 3, 4.

(12) Each contact chamber 2.1, 2.2 opens at an end face oriented away from the header 9 (the right-hand end face in FIG. 2) into a particular cable guide 2.3, 2.4 provided on the plug casing 2 and oriented in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the plug connector. Thus, the lines 5, 6 are guided out of the plug casing 2 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the plug connector. It is noted that the cable guides 2.3, 2.4 are only partially closed in the circumferential direction of the lines 5, 6 and that they are completed by the plug casing cap 8 on the end face. For this the plug casing cap 8 has one cap section 8.1, 8.2 for each contact chamber part 2.1, 2.2, which closes the contact chamber parts 2.1, 2.2 at the end face oriented away from the header 9. It also has detent lugs 8.5, 8.6 at the free ends of the plug casing 2, which engage with complementary latch openings 2.5, 2.6 when in the installed state. Furthermore, to complete the cable guides 2.3, 2.4 the plug casing cap 8 also has a complementary, cap-side section with cable guides 8.3, 8.4 which in conjunction with the cable guides 2.3, 2.4 form a circumferentially closed cable guide.

(13) In addition, a resilient detent tongue 2.7 extends away in the middle between the contact chambers 2.1, 2.2 in a direction opposite the direction of insertion R; it interacts with a latch web 9.3 of the header 9 to lock the plug casing 2 to the header 9 when in the plugged state (see FIG. 1), thus holding it by an undercut formed thereby.

(14) As described and shown in DE 10 2015 104 377 A1 and DE 10 2015 104 378 A1, each contact part 3, 4 has a sleeve 3.1, 4.1; a contact spring 3.2, 4.2; a locking bolt 3.3, 4.3 and a plate-like, particularly strip-shaped contact tab 3.4, 4.4. On its inner side the sleeve 3.1, 4.1 forms a receiving space 3.5, 4.5 for the plug-in contact 9.1, 9.2 to be inserted in the direction of insertion R. The locking bolt 3.3, 4.3 is displaceable parallel to the direction of insertion R in a guide means formed by slots 3.6, 4.6 in the sleeve 3.1, 4.1. The ends of the slots 3.6, 4.6 form stops and hence end positions for the locking bolt 3.3, 4.3, which is at least partly in sliding contact with an upper surface of the contact spring 3.2, 4.2 between the two end positions. For the primary locking in the plug casing 2 the sleeve has a detent tongue 3.7, 3.8 on at least one flat side, that is a stamped and bent part to engage in an inside part of the plug casing 2.

(15) Each line 5, 6 is attached to the particular contact tab 3.4, 4.4 of the contact parts 3, 4 in such a way that it exits perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction L along the cable outlet A. The ends of the lines 5, 6 are thus welded to the particular contact tab 3.4, 4.4 at an angle of 90 from the longitudinal direction L. The contact parts 3, 4 are turned around the longitudinal axis L by 90 relative to the plug casing 2, with the result that the contact parts 3, 4 are arranged lying or standing on a narrow side in the plug casing 2. In this way, it is also possible for the lines 5, 6 to exit perpendicularly without the contact part 3, 4 having to be constructively modified. In addition, longitudinal ends of the locking bolts 3.3, 4.3 also project from the sleeves 3.1, 4.1 perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis L.

(16) The plug casing lock 7 has a main body 7.1, from which an operating tab 7.2 extends in the direction of insertion R, i.e. in a direction facing away from the header 9 (to the right in FIG. 2). The operating tab can also be moved past the plug casing cap 8 in the installed state, namely past its cap sections 8.1, 8.2, to allow actuation of the plug casing lock 7 for locking or unlocking action, as can be seen for the assembled state of the plug connector in FIG. 1. For each contact part 3, 4, a pair of complementary locking arms 7.3, 7.4 extends away from the main body 7.1 in a direction opposite the direction of insertion R. The locking arms 7.3, 7.4 slant toward each other in the direction of their free ends and toward the contact parts 3, 4, i.e. the space between diminishes in this direction. This not only facilitates insertion into the plug casing 2, but it also causes the particular contact part 3, 4 to be clamped fast and held in place between the pair of locking arms 7.3, 7.4. The locking arms 7.3, 7.4 have receiving slots 7.5, 7.6 at their free ends, that are designed to accommodate the longitudinal ends of the locking bolts 3.3, 3.4 in a positive fit, thus being able to interact with them. When in the installed state the locking bolts 3.3, 4.3 are therefore moved along by a movement of the plug casing lock 7, in that each locking bolt 3.3, 4.3 is guided on both sides by the particular pair of locking arms 7.3, 7.4 and is carried along with its movement. For enhanced clarity, not all reference numbers of the contact parts 3, 4 have been included in FIG. 2.

(17) Furthermore, the plug casing lock 7 has a resilient locking tab 7.7 between the pairs of locking arms 7.3, 7.4 and extending away approximately in the middle from the main body 7.1 against the direction of insertion R. For example, it provides that the plug casing lock 7 can (only) be moved against the direction of insertion R if the plug-in contacts 9.1, 9.2 of the header 9 are plugged into the contact parts 3, 4, in order to avoid already locking the contact parts 3, 4 beforehand. In addition, (not until) in the assembled state, it also gives clearance for a movement of the plug casing 2 into a locked state in which the plug casing 2 is latched via the resilient detent tongue 2.7 to the latch web 9.3 of the header 9.

(18) FIG. 3 shows a perspective rear view of the plug casing 2 as a separate part. It can be seen that the contact chamber parts 2.1, 2.2 are designed to receive the contact parts 3, 4 on end, that is lying or standing on a narrow side. The cable guides 2.3, 2.4 on the casing side can also be more clearly recognized, and they are approximately in the shape of a half-shell in the direction of the header 9 and are complemented in the direction opposite the header 9 by the approximately half-shell cable guides 8.3, 8.4 formed on the cap side. FIG. 3 also shows that the plug casing cap 8 latches multiple times to the plug casing 2 in order to be held securely thereupon and to spare a secondary lock of the contact parts 3, 4. Thus, the plug casing cap 8 latches in at least three different places, namely with the detent lugs 8.5, 8.6 engaging in the latch openings 2.5, 2.6; with the detent overhangs 8.7, 8.8 latching to the latch channels 2.8, 2.9 and with a centric, transversely running latch edge 8.92 catching on a centric detent tab 2.10.

(19) FIG. 4 shows a perspective rear view of the plug casing lock 7 as a separate part. It can be seen that the locking arms 7.3, 7.4 slant toward one another in pairs. FIG. 4 also shows that the plug casing lock 7 has receiving chambers 7.8, 7.9 to accommodate the contact parts 3, 4, similar to the plug casing 2. However, the receiving chambers 7.8, 7.9 are dimensioned to permit movement of the plug casing lock 7 relative to the contact parts 3, 4. Moreover, it can be seen that for each line 5, 6 a cable guide recess 7.10, 7.11 is formed on the plug casing lock 7, in order that the lines 5, 6 may be inserted into the cable guides 2.3, 2.4 and 8.3, 8.4.

(20) The production or assembly of the plug connector 1 can be described as follows. First of all, the contact parts 3, 4 are provided, with the lines 5, 6 attached to them at an angle. Before or after that the plug casing 2 is positioned to receive the contact parts 3, 4 and the plug casing lock 7. Accordingly, the plug casing lock 7 is inserted into the plug casing 2 along the longitudinal axis L of the plug connector, namely from a direction opposite the direction of insertion R (from the right in FIG. 2). Subsequently, the contact parts 3, 4 are inserted from the same direction into the plug casing 2 in which they are optionally primarily locked by mutual engagement. The lines 5, 6 here are guided out of the plug casing 2 along the cable guides 2.3, 2.4 perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (L) of the plug connector. Finally, the plug casing is closed on the line-side end face (at the right end in FIG. 2) by the plug casing cap 8 at least in the area of the contact chamber parts 2.1, 2.2 and it is latched to the plug casing 2 from a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the plug connector. Here the casing-side cable guides 2.3, 2.4 are supplemented by the cap-side cable guides 8.3, 8.4 in such a way that the cable outlet A is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L of the plug connector.

(21) Starting from the form presented above, the plug connector 1 and the method of its production can be modified in many ways. For example, the plug connector 1 can also be designed with one pole, that is, having only one contact part 3. Accordingly, in that case only one contact chamber part 2.1 and one cable guide 2.3 would then be created.

(22) The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the substance of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.