PLUG CONNECTOR

Abstract

A plug connector has a housing with a plug side and a cable connection side. At least one latching element is arranged on the housing of the plug connector. The at least one latching element can be moved between a first locking position and a second unlocking position. The at least one latching element has openings and insertion bevels. The openings and the insertion bevels allow an automatic latching to a mating plug connector. It is only possible to interrupt the contact of the plug connector using an aid. In this manner, protection is provided against an unauthorized interruption of the contact, and a desired interruption of the contact is made possible without special tools.

Claims

1. A plug connector having a main body and a housing with a plug side and a cable connection side, wherein the plug side and the cable connection side are arranged opposite one another, wherein one or more contacts, which are arranged parallel in relation to one another, are accommodated in the main body for the purpose of establishing one or more electrical connections, wherein an electrical cable can be connected to the cable connection side, wherein at least one latching element is arranged on the housing, wherein the at least one latching element is arranged to the side in relation to the main body, wherein the at least one latching element can be moved between a first, locking position and a second, unlocking position, and wherein the at least one latching element is integrally formed on the housing, in that the at least one latching element is formed from two spring arms (5), wherein one end of the spring arm is connected to the housing and a further end of the spring arm is in the form of a free end with a spring action, and the at least one latching element has two openings in the region of that end of the spring arm which is fastened to the housing.

2. The plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one latching element is arranged on the housing with a spring action, and the at least one latching element is forced into the first, locked position.

3. The plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the free ends of the spring arms of the at least one latching element are arranged closer to one another in the second, unlocked position than in the first, locked position.

4. The plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one latching element has two insertion bevels via which the at least one latching element can be moved to the second, unlocked position.

5. The plug connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein an insertion bevel is integrally formed at a respective free end of the spring arms in each case.

6. The plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one latching element can be moved from the first, locked position to the second, unlocked position by a tool.

7. The plug connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plug connector is an RJ45 plug connector.

8. The plug connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the free ends of the spring arms of the at least one latching element are arranged closer to one another in the second, unlocked position than in the first, locked position.

9. The plug connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one latching element has two insertion bevels via which the at least one latching element can be moved to the second, unlocked position.

10. The plug connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one latching element has two insertion bevels via which the at least one latching element can be moved to the second, unlocked position.

11. The plug connector as claimed in claim 9, wherein an insertion bevel is integrally formed at a respective free end of the spring arms in each case.

12. The plug connector as claimed in claim 10, wherein an insertion bevel is integrally formed at a respective free end of the spring arms in each case.

13. The plug connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one latching element can be moved from the first, locked position to the second, unlocked position by a tool.

14. The plug connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one latching element can be moved from the first, locked position to the second, unlocked position by a tool.

15. The plug connector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one latching element can be moved from the first, locked position to the second, unlocked position by a tool.

16. The plug connector as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least one latching element can be moved from the first, locked position to the second, unlocked position by a tool.

Description

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

[0023] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in greater detail below. In the drawings:

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a perspective illustration of a plug connector according to the invention.

[0025] The figures contain partially simplified, schematic illustrations. To some extent, identical reference symbols are used for the same but possibly not identical elements. Various views of the same elements could be scaled differently.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an RJ45 plug connector 1 according to the invention. The plug connector 1 has a main body and a housing 2 with a plug side and a cable connection side. The plug side and the cable connection side are situated opposite one another.

[0027] The main body is accommodated in regions in the housing 2 from the plug side. A plurality of contacts 3 which are arranged parallel in relation to one another are accommodated in the main body.

[0028] An electrical cable 4 is connected to the cable connection side and guided into the plug connector 1.

[0029] A latching element is integrally formed on the housing 2 of the plug connector 1. Said latching element is arranged on the housing 2 to the side in relation to the main body and with a spring action. The latching element can be moved between a first, locked position and a second, unlocked position.

[0030] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the at least one latching element is formed from two spring arms 5. In each case, one end of the spring arm 5 is connected to the housing 2. A further end of the spring arm 5 is in the form of a free end with a spring action.

[0031] Insertion bevels 7 are respectively integrally formed on the free ends of the spring arms 5. The insertion bevels 7 are provided on the spring arms 5 such that, when the plug connector 1 is inserted into a mating plug connector, said mating plug connector acts on the insertion bevels 7 such that the spring arms 5 move toward one another.

[0032] Furthermore, the fixed ends of the spring arms 5 have two openings 6, one opening 6 for each spring arm 5 in each case. The at least one latching element can be manually moved between the first, locked position and the second, unlocked position by means of these two openings 6.

[0033] In FIG. 1, the free ends of the spring arms 5 point in the direction of the main body and are in the first, locked position. The free ends of the spring arms 5 are arranged closer to one another in the second, unlocked position.

[0034] Therefore, the first, locked position describes the state of the at least one latching element when the plug connector 1 either has not yet formed a connection with a mating plug connector, as shown in FIG. 1, or is not yet completely latched to a mating plug connector at all.

[0035] The at least one latching element is in the second, unlocked position during the contact-making or contact-breaking process with a mating plug connector,

[0036] For the purpose of breaking contact, an aid is used in order to move the free ends of the spring arms 5 from the first, locked position to the second, unlocked position. This aid is inserted into the openings 6.

[0037] Said aid is, for example, a tool which opens when it is pushed together. As an alternative, the aid may also be expanding pliers or circlip pliers. As a result, contact with the RJ45 plug connector 1 can be broken and said RJ45 plug connector can be released without using a specially manufactured or shaped aid.

Plug Connector

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0038] 1 Plug connector

[0039] 2 Housing

[0040] 3 Contact

[0041] 4 Electrical cable

[0042] 5 Spring arm

[0043] 6 Opening

[0044] 7 Insertion bevel