Housing Assembly for a Module Connector with Pre-Locked Screw

Abstract

The invention relates to a housing assembly protected against contact for a module connector, with a housing which comprises a passage opening extending through the housing in a direction of connection, and with a screw with a screw head arranged in the passage opening, where the screw is locked in the passage opening in a pre-assembly position. Such a housing assembly can be assembled quickly and in a simple manner and at the same time is completely protected against contact.

Claims

1. Housing assembly protected against contact for a module connector, with a housing which comprises a passage opening extending through said housing in a direction of connection, and with a screw having a screw head, said screw being arranged in said passage opening, wherein said screw is locked in said passage opening in a pre-assembly position (96).

2. Housing assembly protected against contact according to claim 1, wherein said screw head comprises a screw flange and is configured to be protected against contact and wherein said screw head is locked in said passage opening.

3. Housing assembly protected against contact according to claim 2, wherein said passage opening is closed by said screw flange.

4. Housing assembly protected against contact according to claim 1, wherein said screw head in said pre-assembly position is disposed at one end of said passage opening and a screw shank of said screw extends through said passage opening.

5. Housing assembly protected against contact according to claim 1, wherein said passage opening comprises a locking projection that projects in the radial direction inwardly.

6. Housing assembly protected against contact according to claim 1, wherein said at least one locking projection is formed by a locking tongue which can be resiliently deflected in said radial direction.

7. Housing assembly protected against contact according to claim 1, wherein said passage opening comprises a wall that comprises a pocket which is offset in the radial direction outwardly and in which a locking projection is received.

8. Housing assembly protected against contact according to claim 1, wherein said housing comprises a collar which surrounds said passage opening and projects on the side of said housing facing away from said screw head, and wherein said screw does not protrude from said collar in said pre-assembly position.

9. Housing assembly protected against contact according to claim 1, wherein at least two locking projections which are disposed diametrically opposite one another with respect to said direction of connection are present.

10. Housing assembly protected against contact according to claim 1, with an outer housing in which said housing is received to be displaceable in at least one direction of displacement that is disposed in a plane perpendicular to said direction of connection.

11. Housing assembly protected against contact according to claim 9, wherein two locking projections disposed diametrically opposite one another are spaced from one another in said direction of displacement.

12. Housing assembly protected against contact according to claim 10, wherein said outer housing comprises a bus bar receptacle in which a bus bar can be received substantially perpendicular to said direction of connection, wherein said bus bar receptacle penetrates said passage opening.

13. Housing assembly protected against contact according to claim 1, wherein said housing comprises a collar through which said passage opening extends.

14. Housing assembly protected against contact according to claim 13, wherein said screw head is locked in said collar.

15. Housing assembly protected against contact according to claim 10, wherein said outer housing comprises at least one displacement opening through which said collar of said housing extends, and wherein said displacement opening is a long hole, the longitudinal direction of which extends in said direction of displacement.

Description

[0042] The same reference characters are used below for elements that correspond to one another in terms of structure and/or function,

[0043] where:

[0044] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective illustration of a contact assembly according to a possible embodiment;

[0045] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sectional view of the contact assembly in the pre-assembly position according to a possible embodiment;

[0046] FIG. 3 shows a schematic perspective detailed view of the locking projections according to a possible embodiment;

[0047] FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of the contact assembly and the second contact assembly during alignment according to a further possible embodiment;

[0048] FIG. 5 shows a schematic perspective illustration of the second contact assembly according to a further possible embodiment.

[0049] The structure and function of the housing assembly shall first be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. The assembly of the housing assembly shall be described thereafter with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0050] Housing assembly 1 comprises an outer housing 2, a housing 4, a screw 6, a contact ring 8, and a bus bar 10.

[0051] Housing 4 comprises a passage opening 12, longitudinal axis 14 of which extends along a direction of connection 16 through housing 4. Passage opening 12 is surrounded by a substantially cylindrical wall 18 which is arranged concentrically around direction of connection 16 or around a longitudinal axis 14 of passage opening 12, respectively. A lower part 20 of housing 4 comprises a collar 22 which projects on side 26 of housing 4 facing away from a screw head 24. In particular, passage opening 12 extends through collar 22, and collar 22 forms an end 28 of passage opening 12. Collar 22 concentrically surrounds substantially cylindrical contact ring 8.

[0052] Housing 4 also comprises at least one flange section 30 which projects vertically from housing 4. In the embodiment shown, an upper part 32 of housing 4 as well as collar 22 of lower part 20 of housing 4 comprise a flange section 30. Flange sections 30 run parallel to one another and to a displacement plane 34 which extends perpendicular to direction of connection 16. Flange sections 30 are substantially planar and configured to each abut in a displaceable manner against a section 36 of outer housing 2. In the embodiment shown, flange sections 30 are longer in a direction of displacement 38 than transverse to direction of displacement 38. Direction of displacement 38 extends along displacement plane 34.

[0053] As can be clearly seen from FIGS. 3 and 4, upper part 32 of housing 4 comprises locking projections 40 which are disposed opposite one another relative to longitudinal axis 14 of passage opening 12 or relative to direction of connection 16, respectively. A connecting line 42 between locking projections 40 extends along direction of displacement 38. Locking projections 40 are configured to engage in a lock 44 with screw 6 extending through passage opening 12.

[0054] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, locking projections 40 are configured as locking tongues 46 which extend from a foot 48 up to a free end 50. Feet 48 of locking tongues 46 are connected to upper part 32 of housing 4 or to wall 18, where the connection is preferably monolithic. Locking tongues 46 can be resiliently deflected in a radial direction 52 which extends perpendicular to direction of connection 16. Locking tongues 46 comprise a locking tab 54 at their free ends. Locking tabs 54 are configured to abut against a screw flange 56 of screw 6.

[0055] Upper part 32 of housing 4 comprises pockets 58 in which locking projections 40 or locking tongues 46 are received. Pockets 58 represent bulges 60 which extend in the radial direction outwardly 60 and along direction of connection 16 or along a longitudinal axis 62 of screw 6, respectively. Pockets 58 can also be formed by wall 18 of passage opening 12. Pockets 58 are provided to protect locking projections 40 or locking tongues 46 from being touched by objects or fingers and thereby prevent damage.

[0056] Housing 4 is surrounded at least in part by outer housing 2. Outer housing 2 comprises a bus bar receptacle 64 in which bus bar 10 is received perpendicular to direction of connection 16. Bus bar 10 comprises a passage opening 66 which represents a long hole 68 in the illustrated embodiment.

[0057] Outer housing 2 comprises displacement openings 70 which are disposed opposite one another with respect to displacement plane 34 and are spaced from one another in direction of displacement 38. A displacement opening 70 can be configured as a long hole 72, longitudinal direction 74 of which extends along direction of displacement 38. Upper part 32 of housing 4 extends along direction of connection 16 through displacement opening 76 of an upper outer housing member 78, and collar 22 of lower part 20 of housing 4 extends along direction of connection 16 through displacement opening 80 of a lower outer housing member 82.

[0058] Displacement opening 76 of upper outer housing member 78 in relation to direction of connection 16 comprises oppositely disposed recesses 84 which are curved to be complementary to pockets 58 of upper part 32 of housing 4. In this way, pockets 58 of housing 4 can be received by recesses 84 of upper outer housing member 78 when housing 4 is displaced along direction of displacement 38.

[0059] Regardless of how housing 4 is displaced relative to outer housing 2 along displacement plane 34 or direction of displacement 38, respectively, both displacement openings 76, 80 are closed in a touch-safe manner. In particular, displacement opening 76 of upper outer housing member 78 is closed by screw flange 56 and flange section 3 of upper part 32 of housing 4.

[0060] Screw 6 is provided for connecting housing assembly 1 to a second housing assembly 86 (see FIG. 4). Screw 6 is arranged in passage opening 12 such that longitudinal axis 62 of screw 6 extends along longitudinal axis 14 of passage opening 12 or along direction of connection 16, respectively. Screw 6 comprises a screw shank 88, screw head 24, and screw flange 56. Screw shank 88 provides an external thread 90 which is configured to engage with a complementary internal thread 91 of second housing assembly 86.

[0061] Screw head 24 protrudes from housing 4 in direction of connection 16 and comprises a cap 92 which is preferably manufactured from insulating material. Screw flange 56 is arranged at an end 94 of screw head 24 facing external thread 90 and extends in a rotationally symmetrical manner about longitudinal axis 62 of screw 6. Screw flange 56 is part of the protection against contact and is preferably manufactured from insulating material.

[0062] In a pre-assembly position 96, screw 6 is locked in passage opening 12 so that screw 6 is held in an upper position 98. In upper position 98, screw head 24 is spaced as far as possible from end 100 of collar 22 of lower part 20 of housing 4 facing away from screw head 24. In pre-assembly position 96, an end 102 of screw 6 facing away from screw head 24 does not protrude in direction of connection 16 at end 100 of collar 22 facing away from screw head 24.

[0063] Lock 44 of screw 6 in passage opening 12 is realized in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 in that an underside 104 of screw flange 56 rests upon free ends 50 of locking projections 40 which in radial direction 105 point inwardly. In particular, underside 104 of screw flange 56 can rest upon locking tabs 54 which are arranged on free ends 50 of locking tongues 46.

[0064] Screw 6 is mounted to be rotatable about longitudinal axis 62 of screw 6 relative to housing 4, to outer housing 2, to bus bar 10, and to contact ring 8 of housing assembly 1. In addition, screw 6 is connected to housing 4 in a motion-transmitting manner so that housing 4 together with screw 6 can be displaced relative to outer housing 2 in direction of displacement 38. If housing assembly 1 comprises a bus bar 10, then housing 4 together with screw 6 can likewise be displaced relative to bus bar 10 in direction of displacement 38. In particular, housing 4 with screw 6 can be displaceable relative to outer housing 2 along displacement plane 34. If housing assembly 1 comprises a bus bar 10 with a long hole 68, then housing 4 together with screw 6 can only be displaced along a longitudinal axis 106 of long hole 68.

[0065] It is described hereafter with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 how housing assembly 1 is assembled with a second housing assembly 86.

[0066] Second housing assembly 86 comprises a housing 108 with a collar 110 which is configured to be complementary to passage opening 12 of housing assembly 1 Collar 110 of second housing assembly 86 is configured such that it can be plugged together with collar 22 of housing assembly 1. A contact ring 112 is received in collar 110 of the housing of second housing assembly 86. Contact ring 112 of second housing assembly 86 is provided to come into electrically conductive contact with contact ring 8 of housing assembly 1.

[0067] At the beginning of the assembly, screw 6 of housing assembly 1 is in the pre-assembly position 96. In pre-assembly position 96, screw 6 is locked in passage opening 12. Screw 6 is held in upper position 98, so that end 102 of screw 6 facing away from screw head 24 does not protrude along direction of connection 16 at end 100 of collar 22 of housing assembly 1 facing away from screw head 24. In this way, end 102 of screw 6 facing away from screw head 24 is prevented from coming into contact with contact ring 112 or collar 110 of second housing assembly 86 before housing assembly 1 is aligned relative to second housing assembly 86 or before housing assembly 1 is plugged together with second housing assembly 86, respectively. This prevents damage to contact ring 112 or to collar 110 of second housing assembly 86.

[0068] In the first assembly step, housing assembly 1 is aligned relative to second housing assembly 86. For this purpose, collar 22 of housing assembly 1 is displaced along displacement plane 34 or along direction of displacement 38 until a longitudinal axis 114 of collar 22 of housing assembly 1 extends along a longitudinal axis 116 of collar 110 of second housing assembly 86.

[0069] If collar 22 of housing assembly 1 is aligned relative to collar 110 of second housing assembly 86, then screw 6 of housing assembly 1 is also aligned to fit. Longitudinal axis 62 of screw 6 therefore extends along longitudinal axis 114 of collar 22 of housing assembly 1 and along longitudinal axis 116 of collar 110 of second housing assembly 86.

[0070] Screw 6 is therefore aligned together with collar 22 of housing assembly 1 and collar 110 of second housing assembly 86 to fit because all movable parts of housing assembly 1 are connected to one another in a motion-transmitting manner. If collar 22 of housing assembly 1 is displaced along direction of displacement 38 or along displacement plane 34 during alignment, then the motion of collar 22 continues onto contact ring 8 of housing assembly 1 because contact ring 8 is inserted into collar 22 of housing assembly 1. As a result, contact ring 8 transmits the motion along direction of displacement 38 or along displacement plane 34 to screw shank 88 because the latter extends at least in part in direction of connection 16 through contact ring 8. The motion of screw 6 along direction of displacement 38 or along displacement plane 34 is in turn transmitted to upper part 32 of housing 4, whereby the latter also moves along direction of displacement 38 or along displacement plane 38, respectively.

[0071] Once the alignment process has been completed, housing assembly 1 and second housing assembly 86 can be plugged together along direction of connection 16. Collar 22 of first housing assembly 1 is placed over collar 110 of second housing assembly 86, or collar 22 of first housing assembly 1 is inserted into collar 110 of second housing assembly 86.

[0072] After housing assembly 1 and second housing assembly 86 have been aligned and plugged together, there is no longer any danger that an end 102 of screw 6 facing away from screw head 24 can damage contact ring 112 or collar 110 of second housing assembly 86. The pre-assembly position 96 of screw 6 can therefore be cancelled.

[0073] For this purpose, lock 44 of screw 6 in passage opening 12 is released. Screw 6 is there pressed along its longitudinal axis 62 or along direction of connection 16 in the direction of second housing assembly 86, whereby locking tongues 46 are resiliently deflected in the radial direction outwardly 60 by underside 104 of screw flange 56. In particular, free ends 50 of locking tongues 46 are deflected resiliently in the radial direction outwardly 60. As soon as screw flange 56 has overcome free ends 50 of locking tongues 46 or locking tabs 54 disposed at free ends 50 of locking tongues 46 along direction of connection 16, screw flange 56 is no longer held by locking tongues 46. This releases lock 44 of screw 6 in passage opening 12, whereby screw 6 slips along direction of connection 16 and in the direction of second housing assembly 86 into passage opening 12. At the same time, locking tongues 46, which are deflected resiliently in the radial direction outwardly 60, snap back in the radial direction inwardly 105. This can prevent screw 6 from dropping out of housing assembly 1.

[0074] After the plugging process, contact ring 8 of housing assembly 1 and contact ring 112 of second housing assembly 86 lie on top of one another in an electrically conductive manner. In particular, bus bar 10 of housing assembly 1 can be connected in an electrically conductively manner to a bus bar of second housing assembly 86. Screw 6 protrudes through contact ring 8 of the housing assembly and contact ring 112 of second housing assembly 86. Furthermore, screw 6 can also protrude through the bus bar (not shown) of second housing assembly 86.

[0075] In a final assembly step, screw 6 is fastened. Screw 6 generates a preload force that compresses bus bar 10 and contact ring 8 of housing assembly 1 as well as bus bar 118 and contact ring 112 of second housing assembly 86 along longitudinal axis 62 of screw 6. In this way, the current-carrying components of housing assembly 1 and second housing assembly 86 are electrically connected to one another and the assembly is completed.

[0076] In this state, all current-carrying components of housing assembly 1 and second housing assembly 86 are surrounded without a gap by non-conducting components. In this way, complete protection against contact is guaranteed. In particular, contact of a human finger or objects with current-carrying components is prevented.

REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0077] 1 housing assembly [0078] 2 outer housing [0079] 4 housing [0080] 6 screw [0081] 8 contact ring [0082] 10 bus bar [0083] 12 passage opening [0084] 14 longitudinal axis of the passage opening [0085] 16 direction of connection [0086] 18 wall [0087] 20 lower part of the housing [0088] 22 collar [0089] 24 screw head [0090] 26 side of the housing facing away from the screw head [0091] 28 end of the passage opening [0092] 30 flange section [0093] 32 upper part of the housing [0094] 34 displacement plane [0095] 36 section of the outer housing [0096] 38 direction of displacement [0097] 40 locking projection [0098] 42 connecting line [0099] 44 lock [0100] 46 locking tongue [0101] 48 foot [0102] 50 free end [0103] 52 radial direction [0104] 54 locking tab [0105] 56 screw flange [0106] 58 pocket [0107] 60 radial direction outwardly [0108] 62 longitudinal axis of the screw [0109] 64 bus bar receptacle [0110] 66 passage opening of the bus bar [0111] 68 long hole of the bus bar [0112] 70 displacement opening [0113] 72 long hole of the displacement opening [0114] 74 longitudinal direction of the long hole of the displacement opening [0115] 76 displacement opening of the upper outer housing member [0116] 78 upper outer housing member [0117] 80 displacement opening of the lower outer housing member [0118] 82 lower outer housing member [0119] 84 recesses [0120] 86 second housing assembly [0121] 88 screw shank [0122] 90 external thread [0123] 91 internal thread of the second housing assembly [0124] 92 cap [0125] 94 end of the screw head facing the external thread [0126] 96 pre-assembly position [0127] 98 upper position [0128] 100 end of the collar facing away from the screw head [0129] 102 end of the screw facing away from the screw head [0130] 104 underside of the screw flange [0131] 105 radial direction inwardly [0132] 106 longitudinal axis of the long hole [0133] 108 housing of the second housing assembly [0134] 110 collar of the second housing assembly [0135] 112 Contact ring of the second housing assembly [0136] 114 longitudinal axis of the collar of the housing assembly [0137] 116 longitudinal axis of the collar of the second housing assembly