Abstract
The invention relates to a connection system for establishing a detachable electrically conductive connection, including a female connector and a male connector compatible therewith. The female connector includes a socket with annular concentric contact openings and contact elements arranged within the contact openings. The male connector includes a plug with contact elements which can be inserted into the contact openings of the socket. Ferromagnetic elements are arranged concentrically around the socket or the plug, the ferromagnetic elements of the male connector and of the female connector having mutual attraction in order to generate a retaining force between the two connectors.
Claims
1. A connection system for establishing a detachable electrically conductive connection, comprising: a female connector and a male connector compatible therewith, each of the female and male connectors having a face; and at least one ferromagnetic element arranged at a defined distance from an axis of a respective female and male connector adjoining the face of each of the female and male connectors, wherein the defined distance of the at least one ferromagnetic element from the axis is identical in both the female and male connectors, wherein the ferromagnetic elements comprise at least one permanent magnet, and have a mutual attraction in at least one relative circumferential orientation of the female and male connectors relative to each other if the faces of the female and male connectors are adjacent to each other and the axes of the female and male connectors are identical, wherein the female connector comprises a socket and the male connector comprises a plug, the socket comprising at least one contact element and the plug comprising at least one contact element, each contact element being accessible from the face of the respective female and male connector, wherein the at least one contact element of the socket is countersunk within the socket and is accessible through at least one contact opening of the socket and the at least one contact element of the plug can be introduced into the at least one contact opening of the socket, and wherein the at least one contact opening of the socket is embodied rotationally symmetrically around the axis of the female connector and the at least one contact element of the plug is arranged at a defined distance from the axis of the male connector, which corresponds to a distance of the at least one contact opening of the socket from the axis of the female connector.
2. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the socket is a multipolar socket, and the plug is a multipolar plug, wherein the at least one contact element of the socket, which is accessible through a single contact opening, belongs to a first pole, and the at least one contact element of the plug, which is arranged at a particular distance from the axis of the male connector, belongs to a second pole.
3. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the at least one contact opening of the socket comprises a central opening and the at least one contact element of the plug comprises a central pin.
4. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the female and male connectors are configured to positively secure the female and male connectors to each other.
5. The connection system of claim 1, wherein a pair of mating connection threads is arranged on the respective faces of the female and male connectors, thread axes of which coincide with the axes of the female and male connectors.
6. A connector for a connection system of claim 1.
7. The connector of claim 6, wherein the at least one ferromagnetic element is configured annularly around the axis of the connector.
8. The connector of claim 6, wherein the at least one ferromagnetic element comprises a plurality of discrete ferromagnetic elements which are uniformly distributed annularly around the axis of the connector.
9. The connector of claim 6, wherein the connector is a male connector and the at least one contact element is configured as a ring which extends in a centered manner around the axis of the male connector.
10. The connector of claim 6, wherein the connector is a male connector and the at least one contact element is a central pin.
11. The connector of claim 6, wherein the connector is a female connector and the at least one contact element is arranged at least 5 mm deep within the at least one contact opening, and a minimum cross-sectional dimension of the at least one contact opening is a maximum of 4 mm.
12. The connector of claim 6, wherein a connection thread is arranged on the face of the connector, a thread axis of the connection thread coinciding with the axis of the connector.
13. The connector of claim 12, wherein the connection thread is arranged on a thread element which is connected to the connector via a torque-controlled coupling which limits a torque which can be transmitted between the thread element and the connector at least in one direction of rotation, and wherein a torque which can be transmitted when tightening the connection thread is larger than a torque which can be transmitted when unscrewing the connection thread.
14. The connector of claim 6, wherein the connector has a housing which is perforated in such a way that ambient air can flow through the housing into the connector.
15. The connector of claim 14, wherein the connector is a female connector.
16. The connector of claim 14, wherein the connector has a rear side opposite the face, which is provided for fastening to a ceiling or a wall.
17. The connection system of claim 1, wherein the at least one ferromagnetic element comprises at least one pair of ferromagnetic elements, a first pair of which is arranged on the female connector and a second pair of which is arranged on the male connector.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0030] The facts set out here are explained in greater detail below on the basis of selected embodiment examples depicted in the drawings, wherein
[0031] FIG. 1 shows a lamp which is connected to a power supply by means of a connection system of the type described here;
[0032] FIG. 2 shows the interacting connectors of a connection system of the type described here;
[0033] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section through a female connector;
[0034] FIG. 4 shows a cross-section through a male connector;
[0035] FIG. 5 shows a connection system of the type described here in an exploded view;
[0036] FIG. 6 shows a base plate and electrical connecting element having a fastening thread which is connected to the base plate and the electrical connecting element via a coupling;
[0037] FIG. 7 shows a sectional view from FIG. 6, in which the force transmission and release mechanism of the coupling is visible;
[0038] FIG. 8 shows a detailed representation of the force transmission and release mechanism from FIG. 7;
[0039] FIG. 9 shows a second exemplary embodiment of a base plate and an electrical connecting element with a fastening thread which is connected to the base plate and the electrical connecting element via a coupling;
[0040] FIG. 10 shows a sectional view from FIG. 9, in which the force transmission and release mechanism of the coupling is visible;
[0041] FIG. 11 shows a detailed representation of the force transmission and release mechanism from FIG. 10;
[0042] FIG. 12 shows a detailed exploded view of the coupling from FIGS. 9 to 11.
[0043] The drawings are extremely schematized. Details which are not necessary in order to understand the subject-matter described have been omitted. Furthermore, the drawings only show selected embodiment examples and must not be enlisted in order to restrict the subject-matter outlined in the claims. Embodiments not shown can definitely be covered by the claims.
EMBODIMENT EXAMPLES
[0044] FIG. 1 shows, as an example of the application of the connection system described here, the suspension and connection of a lamp 100 to a ceiling. The lamp 100 is connected to a male connector 20 which can also be referred to as a consumer connection unit in the present context. The female connector 10 is also referred to as an installation unit in the present context. The installation unit 10 is intended to be mounted on a ceiling and wired to the building's electrical installation. Therefore, the female connector 10 is also preferably selected as an installation unit since, following installation and connection of the installation unit to the building power installation, live contact elements are countersunk in the socket, which is not visible in the present perspective, and therefore protected against being touched accidentally. The consumer connection unit 20 comprises, on its face, the contact elements of the plug 21 as well as a number of ferromagnetic elements 25 distributed on the circumference of the face. The contact elements of the plug 21 are embodied in the form of concentric rings around an axis of the consumer connection unit. The ferromagnetic elements 25 are arranged radially outside of the plug and coaxially to the plug 21 and are uniformly distributed on the circumference. As explained further below, the installation unit 10 also has ferromagnetic elements on its face or adjoining its face, which are arranged at a distance from the axis of the installation unit, which corresponds at least approximately to the distance of the ferromagnetic elements 25 of the consumer connection unit from the axis of the consumer connection unit. The lamp 100 can be connected to the electricity grid very simply by inserting the plug 21 of the consumer connection unit into the socket of the installation unit. The ferromagnetic elements on the face of the consumer connection unit and of the installation unit come to lie opposite each other. Either only the ferromagnetic elements of one of the two units 10 and 20 are permanent magnets, or the ferromagnetic elements in the consumer connection unit below the installation unit are polarized in such a way that opposing poles of permanent magnets are opposite each other. In this way, the consumer connection unit 20, together with the lamp 100, is held by magnetic attraction between the consumer connection unit and the installation unit on the installation unit which, in turn, is fastened to the ceiling. As described below, an additional mechanical fixation can furthermore be provided between the installation unit and the consumer connection unit. The lamp or another consumer can therefore be installed without tools, even by a layperson, very easily and without the risk of an electric shock.
[0045] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment example of a connection system 1. As can be seen and described above, the installation unit 10 is a female connector with a socket 11, in which the contact elements are countersunk within the socket and are accessible through contact openings of the socket. The consumer connection unit comprises the plug 11 with contact elements which are dimensioned and arranged in such a way that they can be inserted into the contact openings of the socket 11. Furthermore, an external thread 12 is arranged as a fastening thread on the installation unit 10, and an internal thread 22 which is compatible and complementary to this external thread is arranged as a fastening thread on the installation unit 20. By screwing the two fastening threads together, the connectors 10 and 20 can be mechanically secured to each other in addition to the magnetic fixation. In the depicted embodiment example, the housing of the installation unit is perforated in such a way that outside air can flow into the housing. In such a way, the installation unit is suitable for integrating a smoke detector as well, for example. Other functional components can also be arranged within the installation unit.
[0046] FIGS. 3 and 4 show sectional views of the connectors depicted in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 shows the female connector, or the installation unit 10, and FIG. 4 shows the male connector, or the consumer connection unit, 20. Some of the ferromagnetic elements 15 and 25 are visible in each of the two figures. These are supported against a wall on the face towards the front and held from the rear by grub screws. The socket 11 is in particular visible in the section in FIG. 3. The socket 11 has a central contact opening 111, as well as the annular contact openings 112, 113, 114 and 115. The central contact opening 111 and the annular contact openings 112, 113, 114 and 115 are arranged rotationally symmetrically and concentrically around the central contact opening 111 or an axis of the connector or of the socket. The contact elements of the socket are arranged on different circumferential positions within the contact openings. Therefore, only the contact element 116 of the central contact opening 111 as well as a contact element 117 of the annular contact opening 113 are visible in the depicted view. In FIG. 4, the plug 21 is depicted in a longitudinal section, which has the central contact pin 211 as well as the concentric annular contact elements 212, 213, 214 and 215 as contact elements. The radii or diameters of the annular contact elements 212, 213, 214 and 215 correspond to the radii or diameters of the annular contact openings 112, 113, 114 and 115. The annular contact elements 212, 213, 214 and 215 of the plug 21 run concentrically around an axis of the male connector 20 or around the central contact pin 211. In such a way, the contact elements of the plug 21 can be inserted into the contact openings of the socket 11 and establish the contact with the contact elements of the socket there. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the contact elements of the socket are countersunk within the socket and accessible through the contact openings. The contact openings are dimensioned in such a way, and the contact elements are arranged deep in the contact openings in such a way, that the possibility of accidentally touching the contact elements of the socket is excluded. For example, the smaller dimension of a contact opening in cross-section is a maximum of 4 mm, in particular a maximum of 3 mm, which prevents a finger from being inserted into a contact opening. Equally, the contact elements of the socket lie at least 5 mm and in particular at least 6 mm deep in the contact openings. It goes without saying that the height of the contact elements of the plug must be sufficiently dimensioned in order to reach the contact elements of the socket countersunk within the contact openings, and to establish contact with them.
[0047] FIG. 5 shows the connection system from FIG. 2 in an exploded view, wherein the housing of the installation unit has been omitted. The consumer connection unit or the male connector 20 comprises the plug 21 which is fixed with a counter plate 24 in a carrier 23. The internal thread 22 is arranged in the carrier adjoining a face of the carrier 23. The carrier 23 furthermore has an external thread, onto which a cover or housing 27 can be screwed. Furthermore, the consumer connection unit comprises a number of magnetic or magnetizable ferromagnetic elements 25 which can be fixed by means of grub screws 26 within the carrier 23 adjoining the front face 231 of the carrier. Equally, the magnet elements 25 could also be fixed by gluing or another suitable fastening on the rear side of the face 231 of the carrier 23. The installation unit or the female connector 10 likewise comprises a carrier 13 with an external thread, onto which a housing of the installation unit which is not depicted can be screwed. The installation unit 10 likewise comprises a number of ferromagnetic elements 15 which are arranged on the rear side of the face of the carrier 13. The number of magnet elements 25 in the consumer connection unit and of the magnet elements 15 in the installation unit is preferably identical and, furthermore, the magnet elements are each preferably uniformly distributed on the circumference of the faces. The magnet elements are each selected or polarized so that there is at least one circumferential orientation of the installation unit and consumer connection unit relative to each other, in which opposite ferromagnetic elements of the installation unit and the consumer connection unit have mutual attraction. For example, all of the ferromagnetic elements 15 and 25 could be permanent magnets, wherein all of the permanent magnets 15 of the installation unit are arranged with the south pole pointing towards the face of the installation unit, while all of the permanent magnets 25 of the consumer connection unit are arranged with the north pole pointing towards the face of the consumer connection unit. If, by contrast, one of the connectors does not have any permanent magnets, the polarity of the permanent magnets in the complementary connector is irrelevant for the time being. In such a way, it is possible to couple the installation unit and the consumer connection unit, or the connector 10 and 20, by simply placing the respective faces on each other. Furthermore, the connectors comprise the complementary threads 12 and 22 which can consequently be screwed together. Furthermore, the installation unit or the female connector comprises a torque-actuated coupling 17, via which a torque can be transferred between the thread 12 and the further component parts of the installation unit. For example, when screwing on the consumer connection unit, the torque required for screwing on and tightening the consumer connection unit must be supported against the installation unit fastened to a ceiling, for example. The torque-actuated coupling limits the torque which can be transmitted and supported in the tightening direction in such a way that damage to the threads 12 and 22 is avoided. The torque-actuated coupling 17 comprises a first, component-fixed coupling element 171 which is permanently connected via a base plate 14 to the carrier 13 and the housing (not depicted) of the installation unit. Furthermore, the torque-actuated coupling 17 comprises a second, threaded coupling element 172 which, in the present embodiment example, is embodied in one piece with the thread 12. The threaded coupling element comprises a toothing, the teeth of which are arranged next to each other in the circumferential direction and point with their tooth height in the axial direction. The socket 11 can, for example, be fastened to the component-fixed coupling element 171 or directly to the base plate 14. The threaded coupling element 172 is basically embodied annularly, wherein the socket 11 is guided axially through the central opening of the threaded coupling element.
[0048] FIG. 6 shows an assembly view of the torque-controlled coupling 17 with the socket 11. As can be seen, the component-fixed coupling element 171 is connected to the base plate 14. The socket 11 is, for its part, arranged within the threaded coupling element 172 with the fastening thread 12 and is fixedly connected to the component-fixed coupling element 171 and, therefore, to the base plate 14.
[0049] FIG. 7 shows a section along the line designated by VII-VII in FIG. 6, wherein the housing 16 of the installation unit or of the female connector is likewise depicted. A detent 173, which is axially biased by a spring 174 against the toothing of the threaded coupling element, is arranged in a recess of the component-fixed coupling element 171. At its rear end, the spring 174 is supported against the component-fixed coupling element. Due to the spring bias, a distal end of the detent 173 is in engagement with the toothing of the threaded coupling element. The threaded coupling element 172, the spring 174 and the detent 173 are axially braced between the component-fixed coupling element 171 and the carrier 13. The interaction of the detent 173 and the toothing of the threaded coupling element 172 is explained in more detail in connection with detail VIII from FIG. 7 depicted in FIG. 8. Both the teeth of the toothing and the distal end of the detent are embodied unsymmetrically in the circumferential direction of the toothing. Each tooth of the toothing on the threaded coupling element 172 has a ramp-shaped first flank 1721 which is designed to be comparatively flat to the circumferential direction of the threaded coupling element 172 or the thread 12, as well as a steep second flank 1722 which is inclined steeply with respect to the circumferential direction of the threaded coupling element or encloses a larger angle with this circumferential direction than the ramp-shaped flank 1721. Equally, the distal end of the detent 173 has a ramp-shaped first flank 1731 which is arranged comparatively flat to the circumferential direction of the threaded coupling element 172 or the thread 12, as well as a steep second flank 1732 which is inclined steeply with respect to the circumferential direction of the threaded coupling element or encloses a larger angle with this circumferential direction than the ramp-shaped flank 1731. The detent 173 is arranged in such a way that, depending on the direction of a torque transmitted between the threaded coupling element and the component-fixed coupling element or the circumferential force necessary for this, this circumferential force is transmitted in each case between the ramp-shaped flanks 1721 and 1731 or the steep flanks 1722 and 1732 of the toothing on the threaded coupling element and the detent. When a torque is applied in a direction in which the circumferential force is transmitted between the ramp-shaped flanks 1721 and 1731, the circumferential force to be transmitted induces an axial force on the spring-loaded detent 173, as a result of which the spring 174 is compressed and the distal end of the detent is gradually moved along the ramp-shaped flank 1721 in the direction of the tip of the respective tooth of the toothing of the threaded coupling element. If the torque is transmitted via the coupling and, therefore, the circumferential torque between one tooth of the toothing on the threaded coupling element and the detent is so large that the resulting compression force which acts on the spring 174 compresses the spring so far that the tip of the detent is pressed over the tip of the tooth of the toothing, the torque transmission via the coupling is interrupted and the coupling slips through. The ramp-shaped flanks are oriented in the circumferential direction so that the force transmission between the ramp-shaped flanks 1721 and 1731 takes place when the thread is screwed in or on and tightened towards the face of the connector. If, by contrast, a torque is applied in a direction in which the circumferential force is transmitted between the steep flanks 1722 and 1732, a torque can be transmitted which is substantially limited by the mechanical strength of the teeth of the threaded coupling element and the detent. This means that the torque which can be applied or supported via the coupling 17 in order to tighten the thread is limited by the coupling, whereas the torque which can be applied or supported via the coupling in order to loosen the thread is larger in any case than the maximum possible tightening torque. It can therefore be ensured that the thread is not overloaded and damaged when it is tightened, while on the other hand it is ensured that a threaded connection, once established, can be detached again.
[0050] It can be provided that means are arranged which make it possible to bridge or block the coupling so that a threaded connection, once established, can also be detached again if the detent 173 and/or the toothing of the threaded coupling element are damaged or worn so that they can no longer transmit any circumferential force or torque which is sufficient to detach the threaded connection. In a very simple configuration, an opening can be provided in the housing of the connector, through which opening a screwdriver or other suitable object can be introduced in order to block the relative movement of the threaded coupling element relative to the component-fixed coupling element. Another exemplary embodiment, in which the means for emergency blocking of the coupling are integrated directly in the connector, is illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 12.
[0051] FIG. 9 depicts a view similar to FIG. 6, wherein in addition to the toothing which interacts with the detent 173, a toothing 175 on the face is also arranged on the threaded coupling element 172, the teeth of which are arranged towards the face of the connector. FIG. 10 shows a sectional view along the line designated by X-X in FIG. 9. It can be seen that the toothing on the face 175 likewise has teeth which are unsymmetrical in the circumferential direction of the threaded coupling element. The flatter side of the teeth points in the same direction as in the case of the toothing which interacts with the detent 173. On the inner side, the carrier 13 has a toothing 135 which is complementary to the toothing on the face 175 of the threaded coupling element 172, which likewise extends annularly on the same radius as the toothing 175. It can easily be seen that if the toothing 175 engages in the toothing 135, the latter blocks the coupling in the same direction as the detent in cooperation with the toothing on the rear side of the threaded coupling element. This is depicted in more detail in FIG. 11 as detail XI from FIG. 10. When tightening the connection thread of the connectors, a pressure pointing away from the face is normally exerted on the thread and, consequently, on the threaded coupling element 172 in such a way that the toothing 175 and the toothing 135 are separated, as depicted in FIGS. 10 and 11. In the event that, due to wear and tear or other damage, no more force can be transmitted between the detent and the threaded coupling element, which would be sufficient to detach the mechanical connection between two coupling elements, that is to say, to unscrew a consumer connection unit from an installation unit, for example, it is possible to pull on the consumer connection unit. As a result, the toothings 175 and 135 on the installation unit come into engagement with each other in such a way that at least in the direction in which the steep tooth flanks interact, the rotation of the threaded coupling element 172 in the installation unit is blocked, in such a manner that detaching the screw connection between the installation unit and a consumer connection unit, or more generally two connectors, is made possible. In FIG. 12, the interacting components are depicted again in an exploded view.
[0052] Although the subject-matter of the present description has been explained on the basis of selected exemplary embodiments, these are not intended to restrict the claimed invention. The claims comprise embodiments which are not explicitly depicted, and embodiments which deviate from the shown examples are nevertheless covered by the claims.
