COIL SPRING WITH A CLOSED LONGITUDINAL COMPONENT AND CONNECTOR WITH A COIL SPRING

Abstract

A coil spring has longitudinal component, located within the coil spring, running along the direction of a longitudinal axis of the coil spring. The longitudinal component may be a simple loop or may bias the coil spring into a different shape. The longitudinal component may have a first end and a second end, which may be connected. The first end, second end and longitudinal component may be in the same plane throughout the length of the longitudinal component. The longitudinal component may have a first end equipped with a first locking element and second end equipped with a second locking element. The first locking element may comprise a recess for accommodating a second locking element. The longitudinal component may be a metal wire and/or formed as a single piece. The coil spring may be part of a connector part connected with a mating connector part.

Claims

1. A coil spring comprising a longitudinal component located within the coil spring, wherein the longitudinal component runs generally along the direction of a longitudinal axis of the coil spring, and the longitudinal component is closed or configured for being closed.

2. The coil spring according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal component is a simple loop.

3. The coil spring according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal component biases the coil spring into a shape different from the coil spring's natural shape.

4. The coil spring according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal component comprises a first end and a second end which are connected to or connectable with each other.

5. The coil spring according to claim 4, wherein the first end and the second end and the longitudinal component are in the same plane throughout the entire length of the longitudinal component.

6. The coil spring according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal component comprises a first end equipped with a first locking element and second end equipped with a second locking element, wherein the first locking element and the second locking element are interlocked or configured for being interlocked.

7. The coil spring according to claim 6, wherein at least the first locking element comprises a recess and at least the second locking element comprises a protrusion, wherein the recess accommodates the protrusion or is configured for accommodating the protrusion.

8. The coil spring according to claim 4, wherein the first end and the second end are materially connected to each other.

9. The coil spring according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal component is a metal wire.

10. The coil spring according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal component is formed as a single piece.

11. The coil spring according to claim 1, wherein the longitudinal component has at least one straight section.

12. A connector part configured for being connected with a mating connector part, wherein the connector part comprises a coil spring according to claim 1.

13. A connector part configured for being connected with a mating connector part, wherein the connector part has a coil spring, the coil spring comprising a longitudinal component located within the coil spring, wherein the longitudinal component runs generally along the direction of a longitudinal axis of the coil spring and wherein the connector part comprises a groove in which the coil spring is accommodated and the longitudinal component of the coil spring is closed or configured for being closed.

14. A connector comprising a connector part according to claim 12 and a mating connector part.

15. A method of shaping a coil spring, the method comprising locating a longitudinal component within the coil spring, wherein the longitudinal component runs generally along the direction of a longitudinal axis of the coil spring, wherein the longitudinal component is closed or configured for being closed.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] In the following, further preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated by means of examples. The invention is not limited to these examples, however.

[0056] The drawings schematically show:

[0057] FIG. 1 A perspective view of a connector comprising of a connector part (right) and a mating connector part (left);

[0058] FIG. 2 A view onto the connector face of the connector part with a coil spring accommodated in a groove of the connector part, the coil spring lacking a longitudinal component;

[0059] FIG. 3 A view onto the connector face of the connector part with a coil spring accommodated into a groove of the connector part, the coil spring being provided with a longitudinal component;

[0060] FIG. 4 A detailed cross-sectional view of the connector part of FIG. 3;

[0061] FIG. 5 A cross-sectional view of the connector part of FIGS. 3 and 4 in the plane of the coil spring exposing the coil spring and the longitudinal component inside the coil spring;

[0062] FIG. 6 An exemplary coil spring in its natural shape;

[0063] FIG. 7 An exemplary closed longitudinal component;

[0064] FIG. 8 The coil spring of FIG. 6 with the closed longitudinal component of FIG. 7 inside;

[0065] FIG. 9 A detail view on the connecting mechanism of the longitudinal component of FIG. 7;

[0066] FIG. 10 A cross sectional view of the connector with the connector part mated with the mating connector part;

[0067] FIG. 11 A detail of FIG. 10;

[0068] FIG. 12 A cross-sectional view of the connector part patent to the mating connector part in the plane of the coil spring exposing the coil spring and the longitudinal component inside the coil spring.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0069] In the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar components.

[0070] A plug-in connector shown in FIG. 1 comprises a connector part 1 in the form of a plug, shown on the right, and a mating connector part 2 in the form of a receptacle, shown on the left. The connector part 1 has a sleeve 3 that can be inserted into a matching sleeve 4 of the mating connector part 2 to mate it with the latter. Both sleeves 3, 4 have a cross section that resembles an isosceles trapezium with two long parallel sides and rounded edges. The sleeves each surround a connector face 5, 6 comprising multiple pins (in the case of the connector part 1) and sockets (in the case of the mating connector part 2) and act as shielding members of the connector part 1 and the mating connector part 2 to shield the pins and the sockets from electromagnetic interference.

[0071] The sleeve 3 of the connector part 1 on its outer side comprises an annular groove 7, which, likewise, has the general shape of an isosceles trapezium with two long parallel sides and rounded edges. An annular helical coil spring 8 is accommodated in the groove 7, as can be best seen in FIG. 4. The coil spring 8 comprises multiple windings of a wire of metal, for example spring steel, and it has been formed by welding two ends of the coil spring together. The natural shape of the coil spring 8 is circular as shown in FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 2, if this coil spring 8 is accommodated in the annular groove 7, its intrinsic resilience urges it into a shape in which it overly protrudes from the two long parallel sides. This can hamper insertion of the connector part 1 with the mating connector part 2, or it can damage the coil spring 8.

[0072] In order to overcome this problem, a longitudinal component 9 as shown in FIG. 7 is provided inside the annular coil spring 8, which runs generally along the direction of a longitudinal axis of the coil spring 8, is in contact with the inside of the annular coil spring 8 and biases the coil spring 8 into a shape different from its natural shape. The longitudinal component 9 extends along the entire length of the coil spring 8. Specifically, the longitudinal component comprises at least two parallel long straight sections. A third, short diagonal straight section is connected to the two parallel long straight sections by sectors of a circle. In combination, the sections of the longitudinal component 9 resemble the course of part of the groove 7, namely the two long parallel sides and one of the diagonal sides. Accordingly, when inside the coil spring 8, the longitudinal component 9 biases the coil spring 8 into a shape that is more similar to that of the groove 7 and in particular has two essentially parallel long sides, as shown in FIG. 8.

[0073] As a result, if the coil spring 8 comprising this longitudinal component 9 is accommodated in the groove 7, an excessive protrusion of the coil spring 8 from the two long parallel sides of the groove 7 is prevented. This is shown in FIG. 3. Insertion of the connector part 1 with the mating connector part 3 is facilitated and damage to the coil spring 8 is avoided. This is, because in particular the straight sections of the longitudinal component 9 bias the corresponding segments of the coil spring 8 towards the groove 7. The elevation view of FIG. 5 shows how, for this purpose, the longitudinal component 9 is in contact with the inner surface of the coil spring 8 to bias the coil spring 8 against the bottom of the long parallel sides of the groove 7, in particular with the straight sections of the longitudinal component 9.

[0074] FIGS. 3 and 5 also show that the coil spring 8 is entirely contained within the groove 7, with the exception of the long parallel sides of the groove 7, from which the coil spring 8 somewhat protrudes. This is, because, as can be best seen in FIG. 5, the groove 7 is of non-uniform depth; at the diagonal side portions (right and left in FIG. 5), the grove 7 is deep enough to fully accommodate the coil spring 8, while along the long parallel sides, the groove 7 is shallower in order to make the coil spring 8 protrude somewhat beyond the groove's 7 outer edge. When the connector part 1 is mated with the mating connector part 2, these protruding parts of the coil spring 8, due to the coil spring's 8 resilience, are loaded between the connector part 1 and the counter connector part 2, more precisely between the sleeve 3 of the connector part 1 and the sleeve 4 of the mating connector part 2 as is shown in FIGS. 10 to 12. The coil spring 8 thereby provides a well-defined electrical contact between the connector part 1 and the mating connector part 2. Thereby, a continuity of radio frequency shielding from the connector part 1 to the mating connector part 2 is achieved.

[0075] In FIG. 7 an exemplary shape of the longitudinal component 9 is provided, and further more in FIG. 8 it is shown in which shape the longitudinal component 9 can bias the coil spring 8 when the coil spring 8 with the longitudinal component 9 is accommodated in a corresponding groove 7 of the connector part 7. Typically, this shape will resemble the shape of the groove 7 in which the coil spring 8 is accommodated. The longitudinal component 8 is non-circular. As can be seen best from FIG. 7, the longitudinal component 8 comprises two parallel sections with the shape of a straight line and two segments with the shape of a segment of a circle. Such shapes are surprisingly stable for fixing the coil spring 8 inside the groove 7.

[0076] The longitudinal component 9 increases or decreases the curvature of at least a section along the length of the coil spring 8 as compared to the curvature this section has when the coil spring 8 is in its natural shape and/or in the shape into which the coil spring 8 is biased by the groove 7 alone. Optionally the parallel straight sections of the longitudinal component 9 can be slightly curved outwardly towards the groove 7 for increased stability.

[0077] The longitudinal component 9 can further be fixed to the sleeve 3 of the connector part 1 inside the groove 7. As a result, when it is inside the coil spring 8 and the coil spring 8 is inside the connector part's 1 groove 7, the longitudinal component 9 urges the coil spring 8 with increased force against the bottom of the parallel long sides of the groove 7. Due to the longitudinal element's 9 bias, the coil spring 8 is clamped into the groove 7 and held firmly therein.

[0078] As can also be seen in FIGS. 10 to 12, the sleeve 4 of the mating connector part 2 comprises two parallel straight grooves 10 on its inside for the parts of the coil spring 8 that protrude from the groove 7 of the sleeve 3 of the connector part 1 to latch into. As a result, the connector part 1 can latchingly be attached to the mating connector part 2 of the connector. The grooves 10 are considerably shallower than the groove 7 of the connector part 1 so that upon separation of the connector part 1 from the mating connector part 2, the coil spring 8 remains on the connector part 1.

[0079] The longitudinal component 9 of FIG. 7 comprises an interlocking area 11, which is shown in detail in FIG. 9. The longitudinal component 9 is closed interlockingly. Moreover, the longitudinal component 9 comprises a first end and a second end in the interlocking area 11. The first end is equipped with a first locking element 12a and the second end is equipped with a second locking element 12b. In the example of FIGS. 7 and 9, the first locking element 12a comprises a protrusion 13a and a recess 14a, whereas the second locking element 12b comprises a protrusion 13b and a recess 14b. The first locking element 12a and the second locking element 12b are connectable with each other and are form-lockingly connected. As can be seen best in FIG. 9, the protrusion 13a of the first locking element 12a is inserted in the recess 14b of the second locking element 12b and thus accommodated therein. In addition, the protrusion 13b of the second locking element 12b is inserted in the recess 14a of the first locking element 12a. Thus, the locking element 12a and the second locking element 12b are interlockingly engaging with each other and stably connected. Furthermore, a restoring force of the longitudinal component 9 further stabilises the closed configuration of the two ends, resulting in a force-locked connection between the two ends. The first locking element 12a and the second locking element 12b can be opened and closed non-destructively and reversibly for simple installation of the longitudinal component 9 in the coil spring 8.

[0080] In an exemplary method of manufacturing the coil spring 8 according to the present invention, both the coil spring 8 formed of interconnected coils and the longitudinal component 9 are in an open stated before being combined with each other. For combining, the coil spring 8 is then slid over the longitudinal component 9. Subsequently, the longitudinal component 9 is closed, for example by interlocking as discussed above, by welding, by soldering or by adhesive bonding. The ends of the coil spring 8 are either likewise joined together, for example by welding, soldering or adhesive bonding, or they are left open.

[0081] In an alternative exemplary embodiment that is not shown in the figures, the longitudinal component 9 is a closed loop that lacks any means for fastening. Rather, it is cut from a tube, punched out or cut out from a metal sheet, or welded, soldered or materially joined to for a closed loop. The longitudinal component 9 is in the closed state before being combined with the coils to form the coil spring 8. In the step of combining, the coils are wound around the longitudinal component 9 to form the coils spring. The ends of the coil spring 8 are joined together by welding, soldering or adhesive bonding.

[0082] In coil springs 8 with open longitudinal components (not shown), it is possible that the open longitudinal component (not shown) is unintentionally pulled out of the coil spring 8 leading to damage and undesired unfastening. A coil spring 8 with a closed longitudinal component 9 prevents unintentional removing of the longitudinal component 9 from the coil spring 8 and additionally leads to a more stable fixation of the coil spring 8 inside the groove 7.

[0083] The features as described in the above description, claims and figures can be relevant individually or in any combination to realise the various embodiments of the invention.