ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR HAVING FUSE HOLDER

Abstract

The industrial electrical connector is composed of an upper housing portion for holding a conductor and a lower housing portion for holding at least one contact carrier, which lower housing portion can be releasably connected to the upper housing portion. The contact carrier holds at least one contact. The contact is intended to establish a connection to a corresponding mating contact for the transfer of at least electrical energy and/or electrical signals/data. At least one fuse holder for holding at least one electrical fuse is arranged within the industrial electrical connector.

Claims

1: An industrial electrical connector, composed of an upper housing portion for holding a cable and a lower housing portion for holding at least one contact carrier, which lower housing portion is configured to be releasably connected to the upper housing portion, wherein the contact carrier holds at least one contact configured for establishing a connection to a corresponding mating contact for the transfer of at least electrical power and/or electrical signals/data, wherein at least one fuse holder configured for holding at least one electrical fuse is arranged within the industrial electrical connector.

2: The industrial electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fuse holder is connected to the lower housing portion or to the upper housing portion by a carrier element.

3: The industrial electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the industrial electrical connector further comprises a carrier element and the fuse holder is releasably connected to the carrier element.

4: The industrial electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier element is releasably connected to the upper housing portion or to the lower housing portion.

5: The industrial electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier element and the fuse holder are connected to at least one corresponding connecting element.

6: The industrial electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting element is configured to establish a form-fit connection between the fuse holder and the carrier element.

7: The industrial electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the state of the at least one inserted electrical fuse is reproduced by at least one signal.

8: The industrial electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the state of the at least one inserted electrical fuse can be read through a viewing opening in the upper housing portion and/or the lower housing portion.

9: The industrial electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the state of the at least one inserted electrical fuse is indicated by an illuminant.

10: The industrial electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the illuminant is embodied as a light-emitting diode.

11: The industrial electrical connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the industrial electrical connector further comprises a carrier element and the fuse holder is releasably connected to the carrier element.

12: The industrial electrical connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the carrier element is releasably connected to the upper housing portion or to the lower housing portion.

13: The industrial electrical connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the carrier element and the fuse holder are connected to at least one corresponding connecting element.

14: The industrial electrical connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connecting element is configured to establish a form-fit connection between the fuse holder and the carrier element.

15: The industrial electrical connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the state of the at least one inserted electrical fuse is reproduced by at least one signal.

16: The industrial electrical connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the state of the at least one inserted electrical fuse can be read through a viewing opening in the upper housing portion and/or the lower housing portion.

17: The industrial electrical connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the state of the at least one inserted electrical fuse is indicated by an illuminant.

18: The industrial electrical connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the illuminant is embodied as a light-emitting diode.

Description

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

[0020] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and is explained in greater detail below. The drawings show:

[0021] FIG. 1 a depiction of an industrial electrical connector according to the invention;

[0022] FIG. 2 a perspective view of a partially disassembled industrial electrical connector according to the invention;

[0023] FIG. 3 a perspective view of a fuse holder having a lower housing portion and carrier element arranged thereon;

[0024] FIG. 4 a perspective view of a fuse holder and carrier element arranged thereon with a lower housing portion.

[0025] The figures contain partially simplified, schematic depictions. In part, like identical signs are used for like, but possibly not identical elements. Different views of like elements could be scaled differently. Directional indications such as “left”, “right”, “top” and “bottom” are to be understood with reference to the figure in question and may vary in the individual depictions with respect to the object depicted.

[0026] FIG. 1 shows an industrial electrical connector 1 according to the invention. The upper housing portion 2 is provided here with a cable fastening 12. The cable fastening 12 shown is a cable gland which, by screwing on the cap, clamps a cable that has been fed through and thus secures the cable against being pulled out. Furthermore, an inspection glass 13 can be seen, which protects a viewing opening 10 against the ingress of foreign bodies. Depending on the field of application of the industrial electrical connector 1, it may be expedient to arrange the inspection glass 13 in a waterproof and/or dustproof manner on the upper housing portion 2. The upper housing portion 2 is releasably connected to the lower housing portion 3. In the illustrated embodiment, a flat tool is required, for example a slotted screwdriver, to release a latching between the upper housing portion 2 and the lower housing portion 3. This embodiment is intended to prevent the industrial electrical connector 1 from being able to be opened easily, without the use of a tool.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a partially disassembled view of an industrial electrical connector 1. More precisely, in the embodiment shown, the upper housing portion 2 has been released from the lower housing portion 3. This reveals the fuse holder 6 arranged on a carrier element 8. Furthermore, electrical fuses 7 inserted in the fuse holder 6 are visible. It is self-evident to a person skilled in the art that besides the fuse holder 6 shown, contact carriers 4 and 4′ inserted in the lower housing portion 3 as well as contacts 5 located therein are also recognizable. The contacts 5′ inserted in the contact carrier 4′ are arranged within the insulating cylindrical extensions.

[0028] A clever feature of the industrial electrical connector 1 according to the invention becomes clear in FIG. 3. A connecting element 9 is integrally molded on the carrier element 8. A connecting element 9 embodied as a top-hat rail is shown, whereby a fuse holder 6 can be used as a known component from a switch cabinet. In another embodiment, a standardized top-hat rail can also be attached to the carrier element 8 as a connecting element, for example by means of a screw or rivet connection. In order to be able to lay electrical conductors cleanly past the fuse holder 6, a stop 14 is provided. This stop 14 simplifies the positioning of the fuse holder 6 on the carrier element 8, so that further conductors can be easily routed past the fuse holder. This embodiment can be particularly advantageous when a PE conductor is used. In this example, the lower housing portion 3 is releasably connected to the carrier element 8. However, a one-piece design is also conceivable. Lastly, an illuminant 11 arranged on the fuse holder 6 is also shown. In this case, the illuminant 11 is positioned in such a way that, in the assembled state of the industrial electrical connector 1, the illuminant 11 is identified through the viewing opening 10 and the inspection glass 13 of the upper housing portion 2.

[0029] The two-part design of the lower housing portion 3 and the carrier element 8 becomes clearer in FIG. 4. Also visible in this depiction are inserted latching elements 15. These latching elements 15 are engaged with the lower housing portion 3 so that the carrier element 8 and the fuse holder 6 attached thereto are easily connected to the lower housing portion 3.

[0030] Even though various aspects or features of the invention are each shown in combination in the figures, it is apparent to a person skilled in the art—unless otherwise indicated—that the combinations shown and discussed are not the only possible ones. In particular, corresponding units or feature complexes from different embodiments may be interchanged with each other.

Electrical Connector Having Fuse Holder

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0031] 1 industrial electrical connector [0032] 2 upper housing portion [0033] 3 lower housing portion [0034] 4, 4′ contact carrier [0035] 5, 5′ contact [0036] 6 fuse holder [0037] 7 electric fuse [0038] 8 carrier element [0039] 9, 9′ connecting element [0040] 10 viewing opening [0041] 11 illuminant [0042] 12 cable attachment [0043] 13 inspection glass [0044] 14 stop [0045] 15 latching element