Plug-in device and goods display arrangement

Abstract

A plug-in device for an arrangement for goods display, having a socket mounted on a supporting structure, and a plug-in part having a plug-in portion plugged into a receptacle of the socket. An electrification arrangement, in the connected state of the plug-in device electrically supplies electricity via the plug-in device, with an electrical connection being established via the socket and the plug-in part in that an electrically conducting contact is established by galvanic contacting between a first contact point and a second contact point. The first contact point is formed on the socket and the second contact point is formed on the plug-in portion such that, in the connected state, the first contact point in and the second contact point are electrically contacted with one another.

Claims

1. A plug-in device for an arrangement for a goods display, the plug-in device comprising: a socket having a receptacle and adapted to be mounted on a supporting structure; and a plug-in part, separate from the socket, and having a plug-in portion adapted to be plugged into the receptacle of the socket in a plug-in direction along a plug-in axis until a connected state of the plug-in device is reached, wherein, in the connected state of the plug-in device, the plug-in part and the socket are releasably connected to one another, wherein the plug-in portion has an end region and an outer lateral region, wherein the receptacle of the socket has an end region, situated at a front of the socket in the plug-in direction, and an inner lateral region, wherein, in the connected state of the plug-in device, the outer lateral region of the plug-in portion and the inner lateral region of the receptacle contact one another, wherein an electrification arrangement is provided to electrically supply an electrical load via the plug-in device in the connected state of the plug-in device, so that an electrical connection is established via the socket and the plug-in part, wherein an electrically conducting contact is established by galvanic contact between a first contact point of a first contact portion of the electrification arrangement on the socket and a second contact point of a second contact portion of the electrification arrangement on the plug-in portion, wherein the first contact point is formed on the socket in the inner lateral region of the receptacle, and wherein the second contact point is formed on the plug-in portion in the outer lateral region of the plug-in portion, whereby, in the connected state of the plug-in device, the first contact point in the inner lateral region of the socket and the second contact point in the outer lateral region of the plug-in portion electrically contact one another, wherein the first contact portion of the electrification arrangement on the socket has two first contact points that are spaced apart from one another, and the second contact portion of the electrification arrangement on the plug-in portion has two second contact points that are spaced apart from one another, wherein the two first contact points are respectively connected to the two second contact points, and wherein each of the first and second contact points have the same electrical polarity, wherein the respective contact points are situated radially opposite to one another with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the plug-in device or with respect to the plug-in axis, and wherein an outwardly open opening is present in the inner lateral region of the receptacle, whereby, in the connected state of the plug-in device, the galvanic contact between the first contact point and the second contact point is established via the opening.

2. The plug-in device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the socket has a socket base oriented axially with respect to the plug-in axis, and wherein the socket base is at least substantially closed.

3. The plug-in device as claimed in claim 2, wherein an opening in the inner lateral region of the receptacle is spaced apart from the socket base in the direction of the plug-in axis.

4. The plug-in device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plug-in portion has a depression on an outer side thereof, wherein the depression is recessed with respect to other portions of the outer side of the plug-in portion adjacent to the depression, and wherein the second contact portion of the electrification arrangement on the plug-in portion is present within the depression.

5. The plug-in device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plug-in part has a cavity adapted to receive an electrical line.

6. The plug-in device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second contact portion of the electrification arrangement on the plug-in portion is connected to the electrical line received in the cavity of the plug-in part.

7. The plug-in device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first contact portion of the electrification arrangement on the socket can be plugged on a plug element.

8. The plug-in device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first contact point of the first contact portion of the electrification arrangement on the socket is present on a socket plug element, and wherein the socket plug element consists of an electrically insulating material.

9. The plug-in device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second contact portion of the electrification arrangement on the plug-in part is present on a plug-in part plug element, and wherein the plug-in part plug element consists of an electrically insulating material.

10. The plug-in device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first contact point and the second contact point is a resilient contact point.

11. The plug-in device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a positioning arrangement that acts between the receptacle of the socket and the plug-in portion of the plug-in part, whereby a predefined position between the plug-in portion of the plug-in part and the socket is established in a circumferential direction with respect to the plug-in axis.

12. The plug-in device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising magnet mechanisms that increase a retaining force in the connected state of the plug-in device.

13. An arrangement for goods display having a plug-in device as claimed in claim 1.

14. The plug-in device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second contact portion of the electrification arrangement on the plug-in portion can be plugged on a plug-in part of a plug element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further features and advantages of the present invention are explained below with reference to the exemplary embodiments.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view obliquely from above of a plug-in device according to the invention in an installed orientation;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the plug-in device according to FIG. 1 from the side on a supporting structure which is partially indicated with dashed lines;

(4) FIG. 3 shows the plug-in device according to FIG. 1 from above;

(5) FIG. 4 shows the plug-in device according to FIG. 1 in an exploded illustration;

(6) FIG. 5 shows the plug-in device in perspective obliquely from above in a central longitudinal section with a section plane parallel to the vertical;

(7) FIG. 6 shows the plug-in device according to FIG. 4 from the side;

(8) FIG. 7 shows the plug-in device according to FIG. 5 from the side in addition with an arrangement for goods display that is arranged thereon which is indicated in interrupted fashion and partially in outlines;

(9) FIG. 8 shows the plug-in device according to FIG. 3 in a longitudinal section with a section plane parallel to the horizontal, with a magnet arrangement being indicated;

(10) FIG. 8a shows an enlarged detail of FIG. 8;

(11) FIG. 9 shows a socket of the plug-in device according to FIGS. 1 to 8 in a perspective rear view obliquely from above;

(12) FIG. 10 shows a socket plug element of the plug-in device according to FIGS. 1 to 8 in perspective from the side;

(13) FIG. 11 shows in perspective the socket plug element according to FIG. 10 in a further view;

(14) FIG. 11a shows a contact portion which can be plugged on the socket plug element according to FIGS. 10 and 11;

(15) FIG. 12 shows a plug-in part of the plug-in device according to FIGS. 1 to 8 in perspective obliquely from the side;

(16) FIG. 13 shows a plug-in part plug element of the plug-in device according to FIGS. 1 to 8 from the side in perspective obliquely from above;

(17) FIG. 14 shows the plug-in part plug element according to FIG. 13 from the side in perspective obliquely from below; and

(18) FIG. 15 shows a contact portion of the plug-in part, which contact portion can be plugged on the plug-in part plug element according to FIGS. 13 and 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(19) FIG. 1 shows a plug-in device 1 according to the invention in a connected state. The plug-in device 1 can be anchored on a supporting structure 3, such as, for example, a wall element 4 (see FIG. 2) or a profiled rail. The plug-in device 1, which is provided for a unit or arrangement 2 for goods display (see FIG. 7), comprises a socket 5 which can be mounted on the supporting structure 3, a plug-in part 6 separate from the socket 5, a plug-on ring 7 and an electrification arrangement 8.

(20) The plug-in part 6 has a plug-in portion 9 and a mounting portion 10, the plug-in portion 7 being able to be plugged into a cavity-forming receptacle 11 of the socket 5 in a plug-in direction P1 along a plug-in axis L until the connected state of the plug-in device 1 is reached. In the connected state, the plug-in part 6 and the socket 5 are releasably connected to one another, with a comparatively high retaining force acting against release of the plug-in part 6 completely plugged in on the socket 5. A socket base 5a of the socket 5 is closed.

(21) The plug-in portion 9 comprises an end region 12 and an outer lateral region 13 which are present within the receptacle 11 in the connected state. The hollow receptacle 11 of the socket 5 also has an end region 14, which is situated at the front in the plug-in direction P1, and an inner lateral region 15. In the connected state, the lateral region 13 of the plug-in portion 9 and the lateral region 15 of the receptacle come into contact with one another. The lateral regions 13 and 15 are preferably designed as cone surfaces which are fittingly tailored to one another. In the connected state, these or the respective surfaces of the lateral regions 13 and 15 come into areal contact. The cone surfaces of the lateral regions 13 and 15 that are situated mutually in contact with or in abutment on one another in the connected state provide a best possible or optimized form-fitting engagement. This results in a connection of plug-in part 6 and socket 5 with optimized stability or with optimized play in combination with a high retaining force between plug-in part 6 and socket 5.

(22) An electrical load 40, such as, for example, an illuminating member 41, in the vicinity of the plug-in device 1 (see FIG. 7) or on the arrangement 2 for goods display is electrically supplied by means of the electrification arrangement 8 with the plug-in device 1 in the connected state. There is here established an electrical connection of a part of the electrification arrangement 8 present on the socket 5 and of a part of the electrification arrangement 8 present on the plug-in part 6. For this purpose, there exists an electrically conducting contact by galvanic contacting between a first contact point 17 of a contact portion 16 (see FIG. 11a) of the electrification arrangement 8 on the socket 5 and a second contact point 19 of a contact portion 18 (see FIG. 15) of the electrification arrangement 8 on the plug-in portion 9 or of the plug-in part 6.

(23) The contact portion 16 on the socket 5, which contact portion is formed from an electrically conducting material, such as, for example, a steel material, is releasably but lockably received on a socket plug element (see FIGS. 10, 11) consisting of an electrically nonconducting material, such as, for example, a plastics material.

(24) The contact portion 18 on the plug-in portion 9, which contact portion is formed from an electrically conducting material or a steel material, is also releasably but lockably received on a plug-in part plug element 21 (see FIGS. 13, 14) consisting of an electrically nonconducting material.

(25) FIG. 9 shows the socket 5, which consists, for example, of a one-piece metallic casting and is part of a plug-in device according to the invention. The associated contact portion 16 can be mounted with a socket plug element 20 on the socket 5.

(26) For this purpose, two recesses 22, 23 which are situated radially opposite one another with respect to the plug-in axis L are formed on the socket 5 on a wall 25 of the socket 5 that projects on the rear side on a flange portion 24 of the socket 5. The recesses 22, 23 are each configured to be fittingly tailored to the socket plug element 20. It is thereby possible for two socket plug elements 20 with a respective contact portion 16 present thereon to be plugged on the socket 5. In the plugged state of the socket plug elements 20, the latter are fastened to the socket 5 in a self-retaining manner by means, for example, of frictional effects. A peg 26 on the two socket plug elements 20 that projects on the end side engages frictionally in a corresponding respective bore 27 in the flange portion 24.

(27) The wall 25 forms on the inner side the lateral region 15 of the receptacle 11. Each recess of the recesses 22, 23 respectively forms an opening 28, 29 in the wall 25 and thus in the lateral region 15. A portion of the respective contact portion 16 engages through each opening 28, 29, with the through-engaging portion having the contact point 17. Consequently, the two contact portions 16 provide two different electrical poles with or on the contact points 17 which are assigned to that part of the electrification arrangement 8 which is present on the socket 5. With respect to the plug-in axis L, the two contact points 17 project radially inwardly toward the lateral region 15 of the receptacle 11 or are situated radially further inward than the lateral region 15 at radially opposite positions within the receptacle 11. There, the contact points 17 each come into contact with the respectively associated contact point 19 of the relevant contact portion 18 on the plug-in portion 19.

(28) For the respective contact portions 18 with the plug-in part plug element 21 on the plug-in portion 9, two radially opposite depressions 30 and 31 are formed in the lateral region 13 or on an outer side of the plug-in portion 9. The depressions 30, 31 are each configured to be fittingly tailored to the plug-in part plug element 21. It is thus possible for two plug-in part plug elements 21 with a respective contact portion 18 present thereon to be plugged or inserted on the plug-in part 6 or the plug-in portion 9. In the inserted state of the plug-in part plug elements 21 (see FIGS. 4, 6), the latter are fastened on the plug-in portion 9 in a self-retaining manner.

(29) As illustrated in particular in FIG. 8 and FIG. 8a, in the connected state the first contact point 17 in the lateral region of the socket 5 and the second contact point 19 in the lateral region of the plug-in portion 9 are in electrical contact with one another.

(30) The electrification arrangement 8 additionally comprises an electrical cable line 32, such as a cable line having two line cores 33 and 34, with the line cores 33 and 34 serving to provide different electrical poles or an electrical plus pole and an electrical minus pole. A partial length 33a of the line core 33 leads via the rear side of the supporting structure 3 from an electrical supply (not shown) to one of the two socket-side contact portions 16. A conducting wire, which is outwardly insulated apart from its ends, of the partial length 33a of the line core 33 is galvanically connected to, for example, soldered on, this contact portion 16. In addition, a partial length 34a of the line core 34 leads via the rear side of the supporting structure 3 from the electrical supply to the other of the two socket-side contact portions 16. A conducting wire of the partial length 34a of the line core 34 is galvanically connected to, for example, soldered on, this contact portion 16.

(31) The electrically conducting connection via the respective pairs of the contact points 17 and 19 is continued up to a partial length 33b of the line core 33 and a partial length 34b of the line core 34. The partial lengths 33b and 34b lead from a free end of the mounting portion 10 through a central cavity 35 of the plug-in part 6 up to a respectively associated contact portion 18 of the two plug-in portion-side contact portions 18. A conducting wire of the partial length 34a of the line core 34 is galvanically connected to, for example, soldered on, one contact portion 18. A conducting wire of the partial length 33b of the line core 33 is galvanically connected to, for example, soldered on, the other contact portion 18.

(32) For the releasable, for example, resilient, latching of the contact portion 16 on the socket plug element 20, the contact portion 16 has two spring tabs 36 which are bent over on a strip plate and which latch in a contour 37 on the socket plug element 20 in the functionally correct insertion state of the contact portion 16 on the socket plug element 20.

(33) Correspondingly, for releasable, for example, resilient, latching of the contact portion 18 on the plug-in part plug element 21, the contact portion 18 has a spring tab 38 which is bent over on a strip plate and which latches in a contour 39 on the plug-in part plug element 21 in the functionally correct insertion state of the contact portion 18 on the plug-in part plug element 21.

(34) For anti-rotation safeguarding and for polarity-correct electrical connection of the socket side of the plug-in device 1 and the plug-in part side of the plug-in device 1, there are provided opposite one another two elongate webs 42, 43 which extend in the direction of the plug-in axis L, are quadrangular in section and project inwardly in the lateral region of the receptacle 11 (see FIG. 7). The two webs 42, 43 have a different width from one another. In corresponding width or orientation and position, two grooves 44 and 45 each having a different width are formed on the outside in the lateral region of the plug-in portion 9 (see FIG. 12).

(35) In order to further increase a retaining force in the connected state of the plug-in device 1, a magnet arrangement 46 is additionally provided (see FIGS. 8, 8a). The magnet arrangement 46 comprises magnet mechanisms with a permanent magnet 47 assigned to the socket 5 or, for example, adhesively bonded therein in a blind hole bore, and a further permanent magnet 48 which is assigned to the plug-in part 6 and which is likewise fixedly mounted in a blind hole bore at the end side on a front end or the end region 12 on the plug-in portion 9. The magnet arrangement 46 is indicated in FIGS. 8 and 8a, the outlines of the permanent magnets 47 and 48 being illustrated in dashed lines. The magnetic pole of the permanent magnet 47 is opposite to the magnetic pole of the permanent magnet 48, with the result that, in the connected state, the permanent magnets 47 and 48 are in attracting contact with one another or are spaced apart by way of a comparatively very small gap with, for example, a gap distance of less than one millimeter.

(36) The attracting force on the plug-in part 6 in the plug-in direction P1 provided by the magnet arrangement 46 acts on the end side of the plug-in part 6, whereby, in addition to the existing form-fitting or frictional connection, the plug-in part 6 is held fixedly in the socket 5 via the magnetic force provided by the permanent magnets 47 and 48.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(37) 1 Plug-in device 2 Arrangement 3 Supporting structure 4 Wall element 5 Socket 5a Socket base 6 Plug-in part 7 Plug-on ring 8 Electrification arrangement 9 Plug-in portion 10 Mounting portion 11 Receptacle 12 End region 13 Lateral region 14 End region 15 Lateral region 16 Contact portion 17 Contact point 18 Contact portion 19 Contact point 20 Socket plug element 21 Plug-in part plug element 22 Recess 23 Recess 24 Flange portion 25 Wall 26 Peg 27 Bore 28 Opening 29 Opening 30 Depression 31 Depression 32 Cable line 33 Line core 33a Partial length 33b Partial length 34 Line core 34a Partial length 34b Partial length 35 Cavity 36 Spring tab 37 Contour 38 Spring tab 39 Contour 40 Load 41 Illuminating member 42 Web 43 Web 44 Groove 45 Groove 46 Magnet arrangement 47 Permanent magnet 48 Permanent magnet