Plug-in connector with ground terminal region

Abstract

A heavy-duty plug-in connector has a ground terminal that can be conveniently assembled and can comprise the greatest possible number of electrical crimp plug-in contacts (4,5). For this purpose, ground plug-in contacts (4′, 5′), likewise of a crimping configuration, are fitted in formations (13, 13′, 23, 23′) of the contact carriers (1, 2) for electrical contacting with metallic protective earthing elements (3, 3′, 3″, 3′″). For said contacting, the formations (13, 13′, 23, 23′) have a respective opening (130, 130′) or passage (230, 230′). In the formations (13, 13′, 23, 23′), not only ground plug-in contacts (4′, 5′) but also further plug-in contacts (4, 5) are arranged, so that the number of plug-in contacts (4, 5) of the plug-in connector is increased considerably.

Claims

1. A plug, comprising: a contact carrier (1, 2), the contact carrier (1, 2), comprising a plurality of receptacles (10, 10′) configured to receive pin contacts (4) or socket contacts (5), an opening (130) extending through the contact carrier (1, 2) into a first of the plurality of receptacles (10′) on a first side of the contact carrier (1, 2), and two locking pins (133), a first of the two locking pins (133) being arranged above the opening (130), and a second of the two locking pins (133) being arranged below the opening (130); and a protective earthing element (3) arranged on the first side of the contact carrier, the protective earthing element (3) having a contact lug (321) which extends through the opening (130) into the first of the plurality of receptacles (10′) and two locking windows (330) arranged on opposite sides of the contact lug (321), wherein the first of the two locking pins (133) engages a first of the two locking windows (330), and wherein the second of the two locking pins (133) engages a second of the two locking windows (330).

2. The plug as in claim 1, wherein the protective earthing element comprises: a basic portion (32) having a middle from which the contact lug (321) extends; and two side parts (33) that are bent away from the basic portion (32) at right angles, the two side parts (33) being arranged opposite one another in parallel, one of the two locking windows (330) being arranged in each of the two side parts (33).

3. The plug as in claim 2, wherein each of the two side parts (33) has an end from which a flange (34) is bent away at a right angle, the flanges (34) of the two side parts (33) being arranged in a common plane.

4. The plug as in claim 3, wherein the flanges (34) are received in flange fastenings (143) formed on the contact carrier (1, 2).

5. The plug as in claim 4, wherein each of the two side parts (33) comprises a slit (338) between the respective locking window (330) and the respective flange (34), and wherein each respective flange (34) comprises a screw opening (340).

6. The plug as in claim 5, further comprising a metallic plug housing (6), wherein the contact carrier (1, 2) is fixed in the metallic plug housing (6) by screws extending through the screw openings (340) of the flanges (34).

7. The plug as in claim 1, wherein hollow-cylindrical formations and cylindrical depressions are alternately arranged on the contact carrier at ends of the receptacles (10, 10′), thereby increasing creepage paths between adjacent pin contacts (4).

8. The plug as in claim 1, wherein the contact carrier (1, 2) comprises a central basic cuboid from which lateral cuboidal contact carrier formations extend on opposite sides, each of the lateral cuboidal contact carrier formations being smaller than the central basic cuboid.

9. The plug as in claim 8, wherein the two locking pins (133) are arranged on the lateral cuboidal contact carrier formations.

10. A plug-in connector (C), comprising: a plug (A) having a pin contact carrier (1), the pin contact carrier (1), comprising a plurality of pin contact receptacles (10, 10′) configured to receive pin contacts (4, 4′), a first opening extending through the pin contact carrier (1) into a first of the plurality of pin contact receptacles (10′) on a first side of the pin contact carrier (1), and two first locking pins (133), a first of the two first locking pins (133) being arranged above the first opening (130), and a second of the two first locking pins (133) being arranged below the first opening (130); and a first protective earthing element arranged on the first side of the pin contact carrier, the first protective earthing element having a first contact lug (321) which extends through the first opening into the first of the plurality of pin contact receptacles (10′), and two first locking windows (330) arranged on opposite sides of the first contact lug (321), wherein the first of the two first locking pins (133) engages a first of the two first locking windows (330), and wherein the second of the two first locking pins (133) engages a second of the two first locking windows (330); and a mating plug (B) having a socket contact carrier (2), the socket contact carrier (2), comprising a plurality of socket contact receptacles (20, 20′) configured to receive socket contacts (5, 5′), a second opening extending through the socket contact carrier (2) into a first of the plurality of socket contact receptacles (20′) on a first side of the socket contact carrier (2), and two second locking pins (133), a first of the two second locking pins (133) being arranged above the second opening (130), and a second of the two second locking pins (133) being arranged below the second opening (130); a second protective earthing element arranged on the first side of the socket contact carrier, the second protective earthing element having a second contact lug (321) which extends through the second opening into the first of the plurality of socket contact receptacles (20′), and two second locking windows (330) arranged on opposite sides of the second contact lug (321), wherein the first of the two second locking pins (133) engages a first of the two second locking windows (330), and wherein the second of the two second locking pins (133) engages a second of the two second locking windows (330).

11. The plug-in connector (C) as in claim 10, wherein the first protective earthing element and the second protective earthing element are identical.

12. A plug, comprising: a contact carrier (1, 2), the contact carrier (1, 2), comprising a plurality of receptacles (10, 10′) configured to receive pin contacts (4) or socket contacts (5), an opening (130) extending through the contact carrier (1, 2) into a first of the plurality of receptacles (10′) on a first side of the contact carrier (1, 2); and a protective earthing element (3) arranged on the first side of the contact carrier, the protective earthing element (3) having a basic portion (32) having a middle from which a contact lug (321) extends; and two side parts (33) that are bent away from the basic portion (32) at right angles, the two side parts (33) being arranged opposite one another in parallel, wherein the contact lug (321) extends through the opening (130) into the first of the plurality of receptacles (10′), wherein the contact carrier (1, 2) comprises two locking pins (133), a first of the two locking pins (133) being arranged above the opening (130), and a second of the two locking pins (133) being arranged below the opening (130), wherein each of the two side parts (33) includes a locking window, wherein the first of the two locking pins (133) engages a first of the two locking windows (330), and wherein the second of the two locking pins (133) engages a second of the two locking windows (330), and wherein each of the two side parts (33) has an end from which a flange (34) is bent away at a right angle, the flanges (34) of the two side parts (33) being arranged in a common plane.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below and is shown in the drawings, in which:

(2) FIGS. 1a, b show a pin contact carrier, looking toward the plugging portion and the holding portion;

(3) FIGS. 2a, b show a socket contact carrier, looking toward the mating plugging portion and the terminal portion;

(4) FIGS. 3a, b show a protective earthing element, looking toward an outer side and an inner side;

(5) FIGS. 4a-c show the pin contact carrier with protective earthing elements to be fastened thereon and fastened thereon, from various views;

(6) FIGS. 5a-c show the socket contact carrier with protective earthing elements to be fastened thereon and fastened thereon, from various views;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a complete plug-in connector with a ground terminal region in an exploded representation;

(8) FIGS. 7a, b show the assembled plug-in connector in the unplugged state and in the plugged state;

(9) FIGS. 8a, b show the two contact carriers plugged together, looking toward a ground terminal region in a partially transparent representation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) The figures contain partially simplified, schematic representations. In some cases, identical reference signs are used for elements which are similar but may not be identical. Different views of the same elements may be drawn to different scales.

(11) FIGS. 1a, b show a pin contact carrier 1. FIG. 1a shows the pin contact carrier 1, looking toward its plugging portion 11. FIG. 1b shows the pin contact carrier 1, looking toward its holding portion 12, which adjoins the plugging portion 11. The pin contact carrier 1 is of a symmetrical configuration.

(12) The basic form of the pin contact carrier 1 is formed substantially by a basic cuboid 14, formed on both sides of which, symmetrically in relation to one another, are two substantially cuboidal pin contact carrier formations 13, 13′, specifically a pin contact carrier formation 13 and a further pin contact carrier formation 13′. Part of the pin contact carrier formations 13, 13′ respectively belongs to the plugging portion 11 and a further part of the pin contact carrier formations 13, 13′ respectively belongs to the holding portion 12. The volume of each pin contact carrier formation 13, 13′ is less than a quarter of the volume of the basic cuboid 14.

(13) The holding portion 12 comprises continuous pin contact receptacles 10, 10′ for each receiving a terminal region 42 of a pin contact 4, which is represented in FIG. 6. In particular, the holding portion 12 comprises in each of its two pin contact carrier formations 13, 13′ six continuous pin contact receptacles 10, 10′, one of which in each case is configured as a ground pin contact receptacle 10′. Consequently, each pin contact carrier formation 13, 13′ has in addition to said ground pin contact receptacle 10′ five further pin contact receptacles 10, which are available for electrical current and/or signal transmission, only one of which in each case however is provided in the drawing with a reference sign by way of example. Both ground pin contact receptacles 10′ are each distinguished by an opening 130, 130′ through to an outer region of the respective pin contact carrier formation 13, 13′. Furthermore, the pin contact carrier 1 has lying opposite one another on each pin contact carrier formation 13, 13′ a respective locking pin 133, only one of which in each case can be seen in the drawing because the other is concealed by the pin contact carrier formation 13, 13′. Furthermore, the pin contact carrier 1 has on each of both sides of its basic cuboid 14, in the region of the pin contact carrier formations 13, 13′, two flange fastenings 143, which are intended together with the locking pin 133 for fastening a respective protective earthing element 3, 3″, the structural form of the protective earthing elements 3, 3′ being shown in FIG. 3.

(14) In the basic cuboid 14, the pin contact receptacles 10 are arranged offset in relation to one another, i.e. they form isosceles triangles with their nearest neighbors. In a cross-sectional area of approximately 3 cm*3 cm, it is in this way already possible to arrange forty-six pin contacts 4, which have in each case a current-carrying capacity of at least 10 A.

(15) In the pin contact carrier formations 13, 13′, the pin contact receptacles 10, 10′ are arranged in rows and columns and form squares with their nearest neighbors. Therefore, altogether twelve of such pin contacts 4, 4′ are to be arranged in these two regions. These two pin contacts 4, 4′ are ground pin contacts 4′. Consequently, ten additional pin contacts 4 remain for electrical current and signal transmission. Altogether, therefore, 56 pin contacts are available on said limited installation space. Since this arrangement corresponds of course to the arrangement of the socket contacts 5, 5′ in the socket contact carrier 2, this equally applies to the socket contacts 5, 5′, without an explicit exposition of this being required.

(16) In FIG. 1a it can also be seen well that, to increase the air gaps and creepage paths, hollow-cylindrical formations and cylindrical depressions are alternately arranged on the pin contact carrier 1, on the plugging side at continuous pin contact receptacles 10, 10′.

(17) FIG. 2 shows a socket contact carrier 2. FIG. 2a shows the socket contact carrier 2, looking toward its mating plugging portion 21. FIG. 2b shows the socket contact carrier 2, looking toward its terminal portion 22, which adjoins the mating plugging portion 21.

(18) The basic form of the socket contact carrier 2 is formed substantially by a basic cuboid 24, formed on both sides of which, symmetrically in relation to one another, are two substantially cuboidal socket contact carrier formations 23, 23′, specifically a socket carrier formation 23 and a further socket carrier formation 23′. Part of the socket contact carrier formations 23, 23′ respectively belongs here to the mating plugging portion 21. A further part of the socket contact carrier formations 23, 23′ respectively belongs to the terminal portion 22.

(19) The volume of each individual socket contact carrier formation 23, 23′ is less than a quarter of the volume of the basic cuboid 24.

(20) The socket contact carrier 2 comprises continuous socket contact receptacles 20, 20′, running through the terminal portion 22 and the mating plugging portion 21, for each receiving a socket contact 5, 5′. The associated socket contacts 5, 5′ are shown in FIG. 6. In particular, the socket contact carrier 2 comprises in each of the two socket contact carrier formations 23, 23′ six continuous socket contact receptacles 20, 20′, one of which is configured as a ground socket contact receptacle 20′. Consequently, each socket contact carrier formation 23, 23′ has in addition to said ground socket contact receptacle 20′ five further socket contact receptacles 20, which are available for electrical current and/or signal transmission, only one of which in each case however is provided in the drawing with a reference sign by way of example. Both ground socket contact receptacles 20′ are each distinguished by a passage 230, 230′ through to an outer region of the respective socket contact carrier formation 23, 23′. Furthermore, the socket contact carrier 2 has lying opposite one another on each socket contact carrier formation 23, 23′ a respective locking pin 233, only one of which in each case can be seen in the drawing because the other is concealed by the socket contact carrier formation 23, 23′. Furthermore, the socket contact carrier 2 has on each of both sides of its basic cuboid 24, in the region of the socket contact carrier formations 23, 33′, two flange fastenings 243, which are intended together with the locking pin 233 for fastening a respective protective earthing element 3′, 3″, the structural form of which is shown in FIG. 3.

(21) In the basic cuboid 24, the socket contact receptacles 20 are arranged offset in relation to one another, i.e. they form isosceles triangles with their nearest neighbors.

(22) In the socket contact carrier formations 23, the socket contact receptacles 20, 20′ are arranged in rows and columns and thus form squares with their nearest neighbors.

(23) In FIG. 2a it can also be seen that, to increase the air gaps and creepage paths, hollow-cylindrical formations and cylindrical depressions are alternately arranged on the plugging side at continuous socket contact receptacles 20, 20′.

(24) FIG. 3 shows a first protective earthing element 3, the structural form of which also corresponds to the second protective earthing element 3′, the third protective earthing element 3″ and the fourth protective earthing element 3′″.

(25) The protective conductor element 3 is a stamped and bent part, which is formed from a spring-elastic sheet metal.

(26) The protective earthing element 3 has a basic portion 32, from which a contact lug 321 is punched out in the middle. This contact lug 321 has a contact projection in the form of a bossing 324.

(27) In the region of its contact lug 321, the basic portion 32 is slightly bent in.

(28) Two side parts 33 are bent away from the basic portion 32 at right angles, opposite one another in parallel. Furthermore, a locking means, in particular a locking window 330, surrounded by a frame 334, may be arranged in each of the two side parts 33 for locking engagement on a respective mating locking means, specifically the locking pin 133, 233, of the respective contact carrier formation 13, 13′, 23, 23′. In order to ensure the mobility of the frame 334, a slit 338 is arranged in each side part 33. Bent away at right angles from the ends of the side parts 33 there is a respective flange 34 with a respective screw opening 340.

(29) FIG. 4 shows the pin contact carrier 1 together with the first and third protective earthing elements 3, 3″.

(30) FIG. 4a shows the pin contact carrier 1 with these two protective earthing elements 3, 3″ to be mounted on its pin contact carrier formations 13, 13′. It can be seen by way of example how, during assembly, the window 330 can engage on the locking pin 133 and how the flanges 34 can be received by the flange fastenings 143.

(31) FIG. 4b shows the pin contact carrier 1 with the protective conductor elements 3, 3′ attached thereto and the inserted pin contacts 4, 4′. As already mentioned, the pin contacts 4, 4′ are held by their terminal region 42 in the pin contact receptacles 10,10′ of the holding portion 12 and protrude with their exposed contact pins 41, 41′ into the plugging portion 11 surrounded by the collar 111. In this case, the ground pin contacts 4′ are held stably by their terminal regions 42′, which cannot be seen in this representation, in the ground pin contact receptacles 10′ of the pin contact carrier 1.

(32) In this representation, the protective earthing elements 3, 3″ have already been mounted on the pin contact carrier 1. The contact lugs 321, 321″ of the protective conductor elements 3,3″ reach through the respective opening 130, 130′ and thus make electrical contact with the respective ground pin contacts 4′, which are arranged in the ground pin contact receptacles 10′.

(33) FIG. 5 shows the socket contact carrier 2 together with the second and fourth protective earthing elements 3′, 3″.

(34) FIG. 5a shows the socket contact carrier 2 with the two protective earthing elements 3′, 3′″ to be mounted on its socket contact carrier formations 23, 23′. It can be seen by way of example how, during the assembly, the window 330′″ can engage on the locking pin 233 and how the flanges 34′″ can be received by the flange fastenings 143.

(35) FIGS. 5b and 5c show the socket contact carrier 2 with the protective conductor elements 3′, 3′″ attached thereto and the inserted socket contacts 5, 5′, which are not visible in the drawing at this point because they have been received completely in the socket contact receptacles 20, 20′ of the socket contact carrier 2. The socket contacts 5, 5′ each have a terminal region 52, which is arranged in the terminal portion 22 of the socket contact carrier 2. The socket contacts 5, 5′ also have contact sockets 51 on the plugging side, which are arranged in the mating plugging portion 21.

(36) In this representation, the protective earthing elements 3′, 3′″ have already been mounted on the socket contact carrier 2. The contact lugs 321′, 321″ of the protective conductor elements 3′, 3′″ reach through the respective passage 230, 230′ and thus make electrical contact with the respective ground socket contacts 5′, which are arranged in the ground socket contact receptacles 20′.

(37) FIG. 6 shows a complete plug-in connector C, consisting of a plug A and a mating plug B, in an exploded representation.

(38) The plug A, shown at the bottom of the drawing, has a metallic plug housing 6, into which the pin contact carrier 1 provided with the pin contacts 4,4′ can be inserted and in which it can be fixed by screwing.

(39) First, the pin contacts 4, 4′ are crimped with electrical lines of a first cable, which is not shown in the drawing, at their respective terminal region 42, which is a crimping region. Then, the pin contacts 4, 4′ are inserted with their contact pin 41 ahead into the pin contact receptacles 10, 10′ of the holding portion 12 of the pin contact carrier 1, and thus fitted deep into the holding portion 12, until their terminal region 42 engages in the pin contact carrier 1 in a locking manner and, as already shown in FIG. 4b, their contact pins 41 project freely into the plugging portion 11.

(40) In particular, the ground pin contacts 4′ are in this way first crimped with a respective PE line of the first cable and fitted into the ground pin contact receptacles 10′ of the holding region 12. As already mentioned, the first and third protective earthing elements 3, 3″ make electrical contact by means of their contact lugs 321, 321″ with the respective ground pin contact 4′, and thus earth the plug housing 6 as soon as it is screwed in it.

(41) The mating plug B, shown at the top of the drawing, has a metallic mating plug housing 6′, into which the socket contact carrier 2 provided with the socket contacts 5, 5′ can be inserted and in which it can be fixed by screwing.

(42) For this purpose, the socket contacts 5, 5′ are first crimped with electrical lines of a second cable, which is not shown in the drawing, at their respective terminal region 42, which is a crimping region. Then, the socket contacts 5, 5′ are inserted with their contact socket 51 ahead into the socket contact receptacles 20, 20′ of the terminal portion 22 of the socket contact carrier 2, until they have been completely received by the socket contact carrier 2 and are engaged therein in a locking manner. Then, their terminal regions 52 are arranged in the terminal portion 22 and their contact sockets 51 are arranged in the mating plugging portion 21 of the socket contact carrier 2.

(43) In particular, the ground socket contacts 5′ are in this way crimped with a respective PE line of the second cable and fitted into the ground socket receptacles 20′ of the terminal region 12. As already mentioned, the second and fourth protective earthing elements 3, 3′″ make electrical contact by means of their contact lugs 321′, 321′″ with the respective ground pin contact 4′, and thus earth the plug housing 6 as soon as it is screwed in it.

(44) FIGS. 7a, b show the assembled plug A and the assembled mating plug B in the unplugged state and in the plugged state.

(45) For reasons of overall clarity, the two cables are not shown in the drawing. However, the screwed cable gland 68′ of the mating plug housing, through which the second cable is to be led and on which it is to be fastened, is shown.

(46) In FIG. 7a, it can be seen how the pin contact carrier 1 is received in the plug housing 6. It is in this case screwed by means of its protective earthing elements 3, 3″ screwed in the plug housing. The socket contact carrier 2 is similarly screwed by means of its protective earthing elements 3′, 3′″ in the mating plug housing 6′. As a result, the plug housing 6 and the mating plug housing 6′ are earthed and the contact carriers 1, 2 are held stably therein.

(47) In FIG. 7b, the plug A and the mating plug B are plugged together. Their housings 6, 6′ are thereby locked together by a locking clamp 67 of the plug housing 6 and together form the plug-in connector housing 60. In this state, the ground contact pairs, consisting of the ground pin contacts 4′ and the ground socket contacts 5′, are plugged together, and as a result also provide a particularly stable and reliable connection to ground on the plugging side. The plug housing 6 has a housing flange 69, and as a result can for example be screwed onto an equipment housing. Consequently, the ground potential of the equipment housing can also be electrically connected to the plug-in connector housing 60, and as a result also to said PE lines.

(48) FIGS. 8a and 8b show the two plugged-together contact carriers 1, 2, specifically the pin contact carrier 1 and the socket contact carrier 2. Their contact carrier formations 13, 23, specifically the pin contact carrier formation 13 and the socket contact carrier formation 23, together form the ground terminal region 63. On the opposite side, which in this representation is concealed by the two contact carriers 1, 2 and is therefore not visible, the plug-in connector C also has in this structural form a further ground terminal region, which is not provided with a reference sign and is formed by the two other contact carrier formations 13′, 23′, which are not visible in this representation.

(49) In FIG. 8b, the contact carriers 1, 2 are shown as partially transparent, so that it is possible to see the ground plug-in contacts 4′, 5′ received in the ground terminal region 63. The ground pin contact 4′ is brought into electrical contact by the contact lug 321 of the first protective conductor element 3. For this purpose, this contact lug 321 reaches through the opening 130 in the pin contact carrier 1. The ground socket contact 5′ is brought into electrical contact by the contact lug 321′ of the second protective conductor element 3′. For this purpose, this contact lug 321′ reaches through the passage 230 in the socket contact carrier 2.

(50) It can also be seen how the ground pin contact 4′ is plugged together with the ground socket contact 5′, with which it forms a ground contact pair, i.e. its contact pin 41′ has been at least partially received by the contact socket 51′ of the socket contact 5′. Consequently, a particularly reliable and stable, pluggable, electrically conducting connection to ground is also established by way of the ground plug-in contacts 4′, 5′.

(51) Even though various aspects or features of the invention are respectively shown in combination in the figures, it is clear to a person skilled in the art that—unless otherwise stated—the combinations shown and discussed are not the only ones possible. In particular, mutually corresponding units or complexes of features from different exemplary embodiments can be exchanged with one another.

(52) The words “example” and “exemplary” as used herein mean serving as an instance or illustration. Any embodiment or design described herein as “example” or “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, use of the word example or exemplary is intended to present concepts in a concrete fashion. As used in this application, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or”. That is, “A or B” refers to any of “A alone,” “B alone,” and “both A and B” unless specified otherwise or clear from context. The articles “a” and “an” as used in this application should generally be construed to mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(53) 1 Pin contact carrier 10 Pin contact receptacles 10′ Ground pin contact receptacles 11 Plugging portion 111 Collar 12 Holding portion 13 Pin contact carrier formation 13′ Further pin contact carrier formation 130, 130′ Opening 133 Locking pin of the pin contact carrier 14 Basic cuboid 143 Flange fastenings of the pin contact carrier 2 Socket contact carrier 20 Socket contact receptacles 20′ Ground socket contact receptacles 21 Mating plugging portion 22 Terminal portion 23 Socket contact carrier formation 23′ Further socket contact carrier formation 230, 230′ Passage 233 Locking pin of the socket contact carrier 24 Basic cuboid 243 Flange fastenings of the socket contact carrier 3, 3′, 3″, 3″ First, second, third and fourth protective earthing elements 32 Basic portion 321, 321′, 321″, 321′″ Contact lugs of the first, second, third and fourth protective earthing elements 324 Contact projection, bossing 33 Side parts 330, 330′″ Fastening elements, locking window 334 Frame 338 Slit 34, 34′″ Flanges 340 Screw opening 4 Pin contact 4′ Ground pin contact 41 Contact pin 42 Terminal region of the pin contact 5 Socket contact 51 Contact socket 52 Terminal region of the socket contact 6 Plug housing 6′ Mating plug housing 60 Plug-in connector housing 63 Ground terminal region 67 Locking clamp 68 Screwed cable gland 69 Housing flange A Plug B Mating plug C Plug-in connector