Plug connector insert and method for the assembly thereof

Abstract

In order to facilitate the assembly of a plug connector insert with a contact carrier device, a contact carrier, a retaining plate and one or more actuators, an assembly latch for the pre-assembly of the actuators to the retaining plate is provided.

Claims

1. A plug connector insert having a contact carrier device and a contact unit inserted therein with a conductor bar, a clamping spring and a plug contact, wherein the contact carrier device has a contact carrier with a cable connection side, a connection region on the cable connection side, and at least one contact chamber that is open on the cable connection side for accommodating a contact unit, and furthermore has a retaining plate configured for connection and fitting on the contact carrier on the cable connection side, wherein the retaining plate has, for each contact chamber, an actuation opening and a connection opening adjacent thereto for inserting an electrical conductor into the contact chamber, wherein the contact carrier device has, at each actuation opening, an actuator, which is arranged or configured to be arranged at least partially in the corresponding contact chamber for disconnecting the electrical conductor from the contact unit, wherein the conductor bar with the clamping spring is arranged in the contact chamber, and wherein the contact carrier has, on the plug-in side of the connection region, a plug-in region, in which there is, for each contact chamber, a through-opening that is connected thereto and in which the respective plug contact is accommodated, wherein the retaining plate and the at least one actuator have a common assembly catch for preassembling the actuator on the retaining plate.

2. The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator can is configured to be transferred from a non-actuated position to an actuated position in order to disconnect the electrical conductor without a snap-fit or detachment of the assembly catch taking place as a result.

3. The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein the assembly catch comprises at least one lateral snap-in recess in the actuator on one side and at least one snap-in molding, which is configured to be accommodated form-fittingly in the snap-in recess, on the retaining plate on the other side.

4. The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 3, wherein the retaining plate has a baseplate in which the connection openings and the actuation openings are arranged, wherein the retaining plate also has, at each actuation opening, two mutually opposing parallel guide strips, which run in the plug-in side direction and on the inside of which the snap-in moldings are arranged.

5. The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator is arranged countersunk in the contact carrier or at least terminates flush with the retaining plate when in the assembled state.

6. The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection region of the contact carrier is substantially cuboid and thus has two mutually opposing short side faces and, at right angles thereto, two mutually opposing wide side faces, wherein the contact carrier has a snap-in nose on each of the two short side faces for fixing in a plug connector modular rack.

7. The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 6, wherein the two snap-in noses differ from one another in shape in order to ensure correct polarization of the plug connector insert in the plug connector modular rack.

8. A method for the assembly of a plug connector insert as claimed in claim 1, having the following steps: A. inserting the contact unit into the contact carrier from the cable connection side direction, and joining the at least one actuator to the retaining plate from the plug-in side direction, and snap-fitting the at least one actuator on the retaining plate by the assembly catch; and B. joining the retaining plate to the contact carrier and at the same time inserting the at least one actuator into the at least one contact chamber of the contact carrier.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the method also has the following step: C. fastening the retaining plate to the contact carrier.

10. The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 2, wherein the assembly catch comprises at least one lateral snap-in recess in the actuator on one side and at least one snap-in molding, which is configured to be accommodated form-fittingly in the snap-in recess, on the retaining plate on the other side.

11. The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 10, wherein the retaining plate has a baseplate in which the connection openings and the actuation openings are arranged, wherein the retaining plate also has, at each actuation opening, two mutually opposing parallel guide strips, which run in the plug-in side direction and on the inside of which the snap-in moldings are arranged.

12. The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 2, wherein the actuator is arranged countersunk in the contact carrier or at least terminates flush with the retaining plate when in the assembled state.

13. The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connection region of the contact carrier is substantially cuboid and thus has two mutually opposing short side faces and, at right angles thereto, two mutually opposing wide side faces, wherein the contact carrier has a snap-in nose on each of the two short side faces for fixing in a plug connector modular rack.

14. The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 13, wherein the two snap-in noses differ from one another in shape in order to ensure correct polarization of the plug connector insert in the plug connector modular rack.

15. The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 3, wherein the actuator is arranged countersunk in the contact carrier or at least terminates flush with the retaining plate when in the assembled state.

16. The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 3, wherein the connection region of the contact carrier is substantially cuboid and thus has two mutually opposing short side faces and, at right angles thereto, two mutually opposing wide side faces, wherein the contact carrier has a snap-in nose on each of the two short side faces for fixing in a plug connector modular rack.

17. The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 16, wherein the two snap-in noses differ from one another in shape in order to ensure correct polarization of the plug connector insert in the plug connector modular rack.

18. The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 4, wherein the actuator is arranged countersunk in the contact carrier or at least terminates flush with the retaining plate when in the assembled state.

19. The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 4, wherein the connection region of the contact carrier is substantially cuboid and thus has two mutually opposing short side faces and, at right angles thereto, two mutually opposing wide side faces, wherein the contact carrier has a snap-in nose on each of the two short side faces for fixing in a plug connector modular rack.

20. The plug connector insert as claimed in claim 19, wherein the connection region of the contact carrier is substantially cuboid and thus has two mutually opposing short side faces and, at right angles thereto, two mutually opposing wide side faces, wherein the contact carrier has a snap-in nose on each of the two short side faces for fixing in a plug connector modular rack.

Description

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

(1) An exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and explained in more detail below. In the figures,

(2) FIGS. 1a-f show different views of an actuator;

(3) FIG. 2a shows the actuator with a retaining plate separately, and

(4) FIG. 2b shows a preassembled arrangement of the actuator and the retaining plate;

(5) FIGS. 3a-d show the preassembled arrangement from different viewing angles and in different actuation states;

(6) FIG. 4a shows a contact unit;

(7) FIG. 4b shows the contact unit with a contact carrier separately;

(8) FIG. 4c shows the contact carrier, shown transparently, with the contact unit inserted into a contact chamber;

(9) FIG. 5a shows a plug connector insert in the preassembled state;

(10) FIG. 5b shows a cross-sectional diagram of a contact carrier device with the clamping spring in the assembled state.

(11) The figures contain in some cases simplified, schematic representations. Identical reference signs are sometimes used for like but possibly non-identical elements. Different views of like elements might be scaled differently.

(12) In all the drawings, the position of the components shown is selected such that the term cable connection side means the top of the drawing and the term plug-in side means the bottom of the drawing, in relation to the assembled arrangement of the components. Accordingly, the plug-in direction runs from top to bottom in the drawing.

(13) FIGS. 1a-f show different views of an actuator 1. The actuator 1 has a cuboid retaining section 14, which has, on the cable connection side end, an application face 10, for example for applying a slot screwdriver or similar. On the outside, specifically on two mutually opposing short side walls, elongate snap-in recesses 140 running in the plug-in direction are arranged on the retaining section 14 and are delimited on one side by a fixing strip 141. The fixing strip 141 has the effect that the actuator 1 can be or is already retained particularly securely on a retaining plate 2 shown below when in the preassembled state.

(14) Adjacently to the retaining section 14 on the plug-in side, the actuator 1 has an actuation section 12 for interaction with a contact unit 3 shown below, and in particular for interaction with a clamping spring 31 of the contact unit 3, said clamping spring being described in more detail below (cf. FIG. 4a). The actuation section 12 has two mutually opposing actuation arms 122, which are connected to one another at the ends via a bar 123 to actuate the clamping spring 31, in particular a clamping limb 312 of the clamping spring 31.

(15) FIGS. 2a and 2b show the actuator 1 together with a detail of the retaining plate 2 in the separated (FIG. 2a) and in the snap-fitted (FIG. 2b) states. The complete retaining plate 2 is shown below, for example in FIG. 5a.

(16) The retaining plate 2 has a baseplate 21, which is horizontal in the drawing and has two openings arranged in the detail shown, specifically a circular connection opening 210 and a rectangular actuation opening 211 adjacent thereto.

(17) On both sides of the actuation opening 211, two mutually opposing parallel guide strips 24, which run in the plug-in side direction and are flat guide walls, are molded on the baseplate 21. On the inside, the guide strips 24 each have snap-in moldings 243, which are directed toward one another.

(18) The snap-in moldings 243 taper in the plug-in direction, that is, downward in the drawing. Conversely, the snap-in moldings 243 get thicker in the direction toward the cable connection side, that is, upward in the drawing. This is particularly advantageous because it simplifies preassembly of the actuator 1 to be inserted from the plug-in side direction between the guide strips 24 and snap-fitted thereon. In FIG. 2a, the actuator 1 is shown on the cable connection side of the retaining plate 2, that is, below same in the drawing, i.e., in the position from which said actuator is preassembled on the retaining plate 2.

(19) It can be easily envisaged that the actuator 1 can be pushed from this position shown, between the guide strips 24 in the direction of the baseplate 21 and thus joined to the retaining plate 2 and preassembled on the snap-in moldings 243 of the retaining plate 2 by snap-fitting of its snap-in recesses 140 and thus retained thereon movably in the plug-in direction, at least via the actuation region of the actuator.

(20) FIG. 2b shows the actuator 1 with the retaining plate 2 shown transparently, in the state thus preassembled. The snap-in hook 243 butts against the upper edge of the snap-in recess 140. This prevents the actuator 1 from becoming disconnected from the retaining plate 2 and falling out in the plug-in direction, i.e., downward in the drawing. Moreover, the fixing strip 141, coming from the right in the drawing, butts against the snap-in hook 243 and prevents the actuator 1 from falling out laterally (to the left in the drawing).

(21) FIGS. 3a and 3c show the arrangement from FIG. 2b in section with the actuator 1 in the non-actuated state, from two different viewing directions. FIGS. 3b and 3d show the actuator 1 in the actuated state from the two different viewing directions.

(22) In the non-actuated state (FIGS. 3a and 3c), the application face 10 of the actuator 1 terminates approximately with the base face 21 of the retaining plate 2 and in any case does not protrude beyond it, in order to prevent any inadvertent actuation. In this diagram, the actuator 1 is arranged countersunk in the contact carrier 4.

(23) In the actuated state (FIGS. 3b and 3d), the upper end of the snap-in recess 140 does not yet butt against the snap-in hook 243. The actuator 1 can therefore change from its non-actuated state to its actuated state and vice versa without a snap-fit or detachment by the assembly catch taking place. The above-described assembly catch plays no role in the actuation but is used exclusively to facilitate assembly, as the name suggests.

(24) FIG. 4a shows the contact unit 3. FIGS. 4b and 4c show how the contact unit 3 is inserted into a contact chamber 40 of a contact carrier 4.

(25) The contact unit 3 has a conductor bar that has a peripheral cage 34. The latter is formed by a punched and bent sheet metal part that is bent at right angles multiple times and closed at its ends. On the cable connection side, the cage 34 is open for the insertion of an electrical conductor, for example a wire of an electrical cable, and the actuation section 12 of the actuator 1.

(26) Partially arranged in the interior of this cage 34 there is a separate, substantially V-shaped clamping spring 31, which consists of resilient sheet steel. The clamping spring 31 has a spring bend 313, which protrudes from the cage 34 on the cable connection side.

(27) The clamping spring 31 also has a retaining limb 311 and a clamping limb 312, which are connected to one another via the curved spring bend 313. The retaining limb 311 is fastened inside the cage 34, that is, from the inside, to a first cage wall 341.

(28) The clamping limb 312 of the clamping spring 31 presses from the inside against a second cage wall 342 opposite the first cage wall 341.

(29) An electrical conductor, for example the wire of an electrical cable (not shown in the drawing) can then be inserted into the cage 34 from the cable connection side direction (that is, coming from above in the drawing) and clamped between the clamping limb 312, which pivots in the plug-in side direction as a result, and the second cage wall 342 in order to be connected to the contact unit 3, i.e., electrically conductively connected thereto and mechanically fixed thereon, at least in a movement direction toward the cable connection side. The electrical conductor, for example the cable, is then secured against being pulled out and is at the same time electrically connected.

(30) The conductor bar 30 has a connection section 35 on the plug-in side. Said connection section consists in a section of the metal sheet angled at right angles to the plug-in direction and has a through-hole to which a plug contact 32 is riveted. The plug contact 32 shown here is a socket contact. It can of course also be a pin contact in another embodiment.

(31) FIG. 4b shows the contact unit 3 to be inserted and the contact carrier 4 before the process of insertion, i.e., before the contact carrier 4 is fitted with the contact unit 3 or contact units 3.

(32) The contact carrier 4 is formed integrally and has a connection region 41 with the contact chambers 40 on the cable connection side and a plug-in region 42 on the plug-in side.

(33) The connection region 41 is substantially cuboid and has two short side faces 412 and two wide side faces 411. Snap-in hooks 43 for fastening the retaining plate 2 are molded on the two wide side faces 411. A snap-in nose 44, 44 for fastening in a plug connector modular rack is molded on each of the two short side faces. The two snap-in noses 44, 44 differ from one another in width in order to ensure the correct polarization of a plug connector insert 5, described in more detail below, in the plug connector modular rack.

(34) FIG. 4c shows the contact carrier 3 in a transparent representation with multiple contact units 3, which are each inserted into a contact chamber 40 of the contact carrier 4. The contact chambers 40, in which the conductor bar 30 of the contact unit 3 is arranged, are situated in the connection region 41. The plug-in region 42 has through-openings 420, which run in the plug-in direction, are connected to the respective contact chamber 40 and are used to accommodate the plug contact 32 of the contact unit 3.

(35) FIG. 5a shows a plug connector insert 5 in the preassembled state. Actuators 1 as described above are preassembled on the retaining plate 2. Furthermore, the retaining plate 2 has four snap-in hooks 23, each having a snap-in window for snap-fitting on the snap-in hooks 43 of the contact carrier 4.

(36) FIG. 5b shows a cross section of a detail on the cable connection side of the plug connector insert 5, having a contact carrier device 6 with the connection region 41 of the contact carrier 4, the retaining plate 2 and the actuator 1. Furthermore, the conductor bar 30 of the contact unit 3 together with the clamping spring 31 retained therein is accommodated in the contact carrier device 6. The conductor bar 30 is arranged in the contact chamber 40 of the contact carrier 4. The clamping spring 31 presses with its clamping limb 312 against the second cage wall 342 of the conductor bar 30. An electrical conductor inserted on the cable connection side (from above in the drawing) into the contact carrier device 6 through the connection opening 210 in the retaining plate 2 is clamped between the clamping limb 312 and the second cage wall 342 and electrically contacts the second cage wall 342. As a result, the conductor bar 30 and the plug contact 32 connected thereto are connected electrically conductively to the electrical conductor, for example the wire of the electrical cable. The electrical conductor is secured by the clamping against being pulled out in the cable connection side direction (upward in the drawing).

(37) The actuator 1 can then be pressed with a tool, for example a slot screwdriver, through the actuation opening 211 in the retaining plate 2 in the plug-in direction, that is, downward in the drawing. As a result of the actuation of the actuator 1, that is, the displacement thereof in the plug-in direction, it presses with its bar 123 on the clamping limb 312 of the clamping spring 31, so that said clamping limb pivots in the plug-in direction. As a result, the electrical conductor, for example the wire of the electrical cable, is released and can then be removed on the cable connection side, that is, pulled out upward in the drawing. The actuator 1 is thus used to disconnect the electrical conductor from the contact unit 3.

(38) 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 artunless otherwise indicatedthat the combinations shown and discussed are not the only possible ones. In particular, corresponding units or feature combinations from different exemplary embodiments may be interchanged with each other.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(39) 1 Actuator 10 Application face 12 Actuation section 122 Actuation arms 123 Bar 14 Retaining section 140 Snap-in recess 141 Fixing strip 2 Retaining plate 21 Baseplate 210 Connection opening 211 Actuation opening 23 Snap-in tabs 24 Guide strips 243 Snap-in molding 3 Contact unit 30 Conductor bar 31 Clamping spring 311 Retaining limb 312 Clamping limb 313 Spring bend 32 Plug contact 34 Cage 341 First cage wall 342 Second cage wall 35 Connection section 4 Contact carrier 40 Contact chamber 41 Connection region 411 Wide side faces 412 Short side faces 42 Plug-in region 420 Through-openings 43 Snap-in hook 44, 44 Snap-in noses 5 Plug connector insert 6 Contact carrier device