Electrical connector and method for assembling an electrical connector

Abstract

An electrical connector (2) comprising a coding housing (4) for electrical and mechanical connection to a compatible connector (3) and comprising a plug body (6) for electrical and mechanical connection to an electrical assembly (5, 14, 15, 16), wherein the compatible connector (3) can be connected to the coding housing (4) along an insertion direction (A), and wherein the coding housing (4) and the plug body (6) have a mechanical connecting device (8). It is provided that the connecting device (8) is designed in order to connect the coding housing (4) and the plug body (6) to one another in an interlocking manner in the insertion direction (A), wherein the connecting device (8) prespecifies an assembly movement (B), which differs from the insertion direction (A), in order to connect the coding housing (4) and the plug body (6) to one another.

Claims

1. A connector assembly, comprising: a first housing; a second housing; a third housing; a first conductor; and a second conductor, wherein said first housing is shaped to interlock with said second housing by a motion of said first housing relative to said second housing in a first direction defined by said second housing, said third housing is shaped to interlock with said second housing by a motion of said third housing relative to said second housing in a second direction defined by said second housing, said second direction is not parallel to said first direction, in an assembled state of said assembly, a first portion of said first conductor is situated within said first housing and a second portion of said first conductor is situated within said second housing, in said assembled state, said first conductor extends into a through-hole in said second conductor, in said assembled state, said second conductor inhibits separation of said second housing from said first housing, and said second direction is parallel to a longitudinal axis of said second portion of said first conductor in said assembled state.

2. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein: said first housing is a metallic housing, and in said assembled state, said second conductor electrically contacts said metallic housing.

3. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein: in said assembled state, said metallic housing and said second conductor collectively form an electromagnetic shield for said first conductor.

4. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein: said first housing comprises a first opening, said second housing comprises a second opening, a first diameter of said first opening is substantially identical to a second diameter of said second opening, said second conductor comprises a first outer diameter that is substantially identical to said first diameter, and in said assembled state, said second conductor extends through said second opening and at least into said first opening.

5. The connector assembly of claim 4, wherein: said second conductor comprises a second outer diameter that is substantially larger than said first diameter, and in said assembled state, a portion of said second conductor that comprises said second outer diameter is situated in said second housing.

6. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein: said first housing comprises a first opening, said second housing comprises a second opening, in said assembled state, said second conductor extends through said second opening and at least into said first opening, said second conductor comprises wide portion that, by virtue of a rigid outer diameter of said wide portion, is impassable through at least one of said first opening and said second opening, and in said assembled state, said wide portion is situated in said second housing.

7. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein: said second conductor consists substantially of a generally tubular element.

8. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein: said first housing is shaped to interlock with said second housing exclusively by said motion of said first housing relative to said second housing in said first direction, and said third housing is shaped to interlock with said second housing exclusively by said motion of said third housing relative to said second housing in said second direction.

9. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein: said second direction differs from said first direction by an angle selected from the group consisting of an angle in the range of 30° to 150°, an angle in the range of 45° to 135°, an angle in the range of 80° to 100°, and an angle of 90°.

10. The connector assembly of claim 1, comprising: an insulating material, wherein said insulating material electrically insulates said first conductor from said second conductor.

11. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein: said first conductor is substantially L-shaped.

12. The connector assembly of claim 1, wherein: said first housing comprises a plurality of contact feet.

13. A method, comprising: interlocking a first housing and a second housing by a motion of said first housing relative to said second housing in a first direction defined by said second housing, situating a contact conductor such that said contact conductor inhibits separation of said second housing interlocked with said first housing, situating an inner conductor such that said inner conductor extends into a through-hole in said contact conductor, a first portion of said inner conductor is situated within said first housing, and a second portion of said inner conductor is situated within said second housing interlocked with said first housing, interlocking a third housing and said second housing by a motion of said third housing relative to said second housing in a second direction defined by said second housing, wherein said second direction is not parallel to said first direction, and said second direction is parallel to a longitudinal axis of said second portion of said inner conductor.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein: said first housing is a metallic housing, and said contact conductor is situated such that said contact conductor electrically contacts said metallic housing.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein: said contact conductor is situated such that said metallic housing and said contact conductor collectively form an electromagnetic shield for said inner conductor.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein: said first housing comprises a first opening, said second housing comprises a second opening, a first diameter of said first opening is substantially identical to a second diameter of said second opening, said contact conductor comprises a first outer diameter that is substantially identical to said first diameter, and said contact conductor is situated such that said contact conductor extends through said second opening and at least into said first opening.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein: said contact conductor comprises a second outer diameter that is substantially larger than said first diameter, and said contact conductor is situated such that a portion of said contact conductor that comprises said second outer diameter is situated in said second housing.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein: said first housing comprises a first opening, said second housing comprises a second opening, said contact conductor is situated such that said contact conductor extends through said second opening and at least into said first opening, said contact conductor comprises wide portion that, by virtue of a rigid outer diameter of said wide portion, is impassable through at least one of said first opening and said second opening, and said contact conductor is situated such that said wide portion is situated in said second housing.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein: said contact conductor consists substantially of a generally tubular element.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein: said second direction differs from said first direction by an angle selected from the group consisting of an angle in the range of 30° to 150°, an angle in the range of 45° to 135°, an angle in the range of 80° to 100°, and an angle of 90°.

21. The method of claim 13, comprising: situating an insulating material such that said insulating material electrically insulates said inner conductor from said contact conductor.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein: said first conductor is substantially L-shaped.

23. The method of claim 13, comprising: soldering at least one contact foot of said first housing to a ground line of a printed circuit board.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the Drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 schematically shows a side view of a connector system in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure comprising an electrical connector in an embodiment as an angled printed circuit board connector having a coding housing and a plug body, and also comprising a compatible connector and a printed circuit board;

(3) FIG. 2 schematically shows a front view of the electrical connector in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure from FIG. 1 with coding housings which can be exchanged in a modular manner;

(4) FIG. 3 schematically shows a side view of the electrical connector in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure from FIG. 1 with an alternative assembly movement for mounting the coding housing on the plug body;

(5) FIG. 4 schematically shows a front view of an electrical connector in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure in a second embodiment with a further exemplary assembly movement for mounting the coding housing on the plug body;

(6) FIG. 5 schematically shows a side view of an electrical connector in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure in an embodiment as a straight printed circuit board connector;

(7) FIG. 6 schematically shows a side view of an electrical connector in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure in an embodiment as a plug of a cable;

(8) FIG. 7 schematically shows a side view of an electrical connector in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure in an embodiment as an adapter having an adapter coding housing;

(9) FIG. 8 schematically shows a side view of an electrical connector in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure in an embodiment as a device plug;

(10) FIG. 9 schematically shows a plan view of the electrical connector in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure from FIG. 1;

(11) FIG. 10 schematically shows an enlarged illustration of detail “X” from FIG. 9 for illustrating a guide rail of the coding housing;

(12) FIG. 11 schematically shows an enlarged illustration of detail “XI” from FIG. 9 for illustrating a guide rail of the plug body;

(13) FIG. 12 schematically shows a sectioned side illustration of the electrical connector from FIG. 1 during an assembly step for introducing contact bodies;

(14) FIG. 13 schematically shows a sectioned side illustration of the electrical connector from FIG. 12 with fully introduced contact bodies; and

(15) FIG. 14 schematically shows a sectioned side illustration of the electrical connector in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure from FIG. 13, partially soldered onto a printed circuit board and with introduced inner conductors.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(16) FIG. 1 shows a connector system 1 in accordance with the teachings of the present disclosure comprising an electrical connector 2, a compatible connector 3 for electrical and mechanical connection to a coding housing 4 of the connector 2, and an electrical assembly 5, which is designed as a printed circuit board (illustrated using dashed lines) for electrical and mechanical connection to a plug body 6 of the connector 2.

(17) The compatible connector 3 can be connected to the coding housing 4 along an insertion direction A, indicated by corresponding arrows in the figures, along the axis Ax. The axis Ax is preferably (as is the case in the exemplary embodiment) the longitudinal axis of the coding housing 4.

(18) The compatible connector 3 is illustrated using dashed lines by way of example in FIG. 1. The compatible connector 3 is usually only connected to the connector 2 when the connector 2 is completely assembled. The compatible connector 3 is already illustrated in the non-assembled state of the electrical connector 2 in FIG. 1 merely for illustration purposes and for fully describing the connector system.

(19) In the exemplary embodiment, the compatible connector 3 and the coding housing 4 each have latching means 7 for mutually latching connection. However, the said latching means can, in principle, also be dispensed with or be designed in some other way. The coding housing 4 of the connector 2 can have a mechanical coding and an electrical configuration, which corresponds to the compatible connector 3 or to a coding housing of the compatible connector 3, in order to forward electrical signals (data and power supply) in as optimum a manner as possible and in order to ensure that only a compatible connector 3 can be plug-connected to the connector 2.

(20) The plug body 6 of the embodiment of FIG. 1 is designed for electrical and mechanical connection to a printed circuit board 5. The electrical and mechanical connection can be made, for example, by a soldering contact-connection (cf. FIG. 14). The connector 2 is usually connected to the electrical assembly or to the printed circuit board 5 only after assembly. The printed circuit board 5 is already illustrated in the non-assembled state of the connector 2 in FIG. 1 substantially for illustration purposes.

(21) The coding housing 4 and the plug body 6 have a mechanical connecting device 8 which is designed in order to connect the coding housing 4 and the plug body 6 to one another in an interlocking manner in the insertion direction A, wherein the connecting device 8 prespecifies an assembly movement B, which differs from the insertion direction A, for the coding housing 4 and the plug body 6 (indicated by corresponding arrows in the figures). The connecting device 8 is arranged in the region of the connecting faces 13 of the coding housing 4 and, respectively, of the plug body 6 which are intended to be mechanically connected to one another.

(22) Therefore, during the course of a method for assembling the connector 2, the coding housing 4 can be mechanically connected to the plug body 6 in one assembly step, but usually not necessarily in the first assembly step. This assembly step for establishing the mechanical connection between the coding housing 4 and the plug body 6 in this case comprises an assembly movement B by way of which the coding housing 4 and the plug body 6 are connected to one another in an interlocking manner in the insertion direction A of the compatible connector 3.

(23) The assembly movement B can comprise pushing the coding housing 4 onto the plug body 6 and/or rotating the coding housing 4 in relation to the plug body 6. Only the preferred variant of the pushing-on operation is illustrated in the exemplary embodiments, but this is not intended to be understood to be limiting.

(24) In the exemplary embodiment, the connecting device 8 is designed as a rail system, wherein the coding housing 4 and the plug body 6 have guide rails 9, 10 which correspond to one another and which together form the rail system and, respectively, the connecting device 8. Therefore, the coding housing 4 is pushed onto the plug body 6 using the said rail system. One of the hidden guide rails 10 of the plug body 6 is indicated as a dashed line in FIG. 1.

(25) It can be provided that the mounting movement B or pushing the coding housing onto the plug body takes place along an assembly angle α, wherein the assembly angle α is 30° to 150°, preferably 45° to 135°, particularly preferably 80° to 100° and very particularly preferably 90°, relative to the insertion direction A. In the exemplary embodiment, an assembly angle α of 90° is used throughout, this having proven particularly suitable for the interlocking connection in the insertion direction A. However, this is not intended to be understood to be limiting. In principle, any desired assembly angles α can be provided. The only important factor is that the pushing-on operation or the assembly movement B does not take place in the insertion direction A of the compatible connector 3. In principle, the pushing-on operation can also take place along a specific assembly path and does not have to have a strictly linear profile, as illustrated in the exemplary embodiment.

(26) The connector 2 illustrated in FIG. 1 is illustrated in a front view separately from the connector system 1 of FIG. 1 in FIG. 2. The said FIG. 2 shows that, in the plug body 6, in each case two guide rails 10, which run in parallel, are arranged so as to run at opposite ends of the connecting face 13 of the plug body 6, the said two guide rails corresponding to guide rails 9 of the coding housing 4, which guide rails 9 correspondingly run in parallel and are likewise arranged at opposite ends of the connecting face 13 (not illustrated). A particularly suitable guide can be provided owing to the use of in each case two guide rails 9, 10. The rail system and, respectively, the guide rails 9, 10 and the arrangement thereof are particularly clearly shown in FIGS. 9 to 11 which are still to be explained below.

(27) Furthermore, recesses 11 for at least one contact body 12, which is still to be described below, are provided in the coding housing 4 and in the plug body 6, the said recesses preferably being oriented towards one another in an end position of the coding housing 4.

(28) FIG. 2 further illustrates an additional advantage of the connector 2. On account of the two-part and nevertheless robust design, the connector 2 can be used in a modular construction system where a fitter can very easily select a desired coding housing 4 from a number of different coding housings 4 and then connects the said coding housing to the plug body 6 by way of the mechanical connecting device 8. In this case, the positions of the recesses 11 for the at least one contact body 12 preferably correspond; however, this is not absolutely necessary. By way of example, instead of a quadruple design or a coding housing 4 which is provided for use with four contact bodies 12, a fitter can also select a coding housing 4 which is provided for use with only two contact bodies 12. Furthermore, the mechanical coding can distinguish between different coding housings 4, as a result of which the compatibility with the compatible connector 3 can be easily determined by a fitter.

(29) In principle, the assembly movement B, in particular in respect of a pushing-on operation along a rail system, can take place in any desired direction (except for in or counter to the insertion direction A). This is illustrated by way of example in FIGS. 3 and 4.

(30) In FIG. 3, the coding housing is likewise pushed on at an assembly angle α of 90° in relation to the insertion direction A, but in the opposite direction compared with FIG. 1.

(31) FIG. 4 shows a variant of an assembly movement B by way of a pushing-on operation from the side, wherein the rail system is rotated through 90° compared with FIGS. 1 to 3. The assembly movement B takes place orthogonally or at an assembly angle α of 90° relative to the insertion direction A in this embodiment too. In principle, the rail system can be oriented at any desired angle to the connecting faces 13 of the coding housing 4 and, respectively, the plug body 6.

(32) As already indicated above, the invention and, respectively, the connector 2 may be suitable for a large number of applications. For example, the plug body 6 of the connector 2, which is shown in an angular embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 4, can also be designed in a straight embodiment. A straight embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 8.

(33) FIG. 5 shows a straight printed circuit board connector which is designed for electrical and mechanical connection to a circuit board 5 (not illustrated here).

(34) FIG. 6 shows a connector 2 which is designed as a plug and which is designed for electrical and mechanical connection to an electrical assembly which is designed as an electrical cable 14. It goes without saying that, instead of a plug, a socket or a coupling can also be provided in connection with an electrical cable 14.

(35) FIG. 7 shows the electrical connector 2 as an adapter, wherein the plug body 6 is realized for electrical and mechanical connection to an electrical assembly which is designed as an adapter part 15. In the present case, the adapter part 15 is an adapter coding housing which has, for example, a mechanical coding, which differs from the coding housing 4, and/or an electrical configuration in order to connect a complementary connector (not illustrated) to the compatible connector 3 in the manner of an adapter. In this case, it can particularly also be provided that the adapter part 15 and the plug body 6 form a second connecting device (not illustrated), as a result of which the adapter part 15 can also be connected to the plug body 6. However, the plug body 6 can also be integrally formed with the adapter part 15 or can be connected to the adapter part 15 in some other way.

(36) FIG. 8 finally shows the connector 2 as a housing plug, wherein the plug body 6 is realized for electrical and mechanical connection to an electrical assembly which is designed as a device housing 16.

(37) FIG. 9 shows a separate plan view of the connector 2 of the connector system 1 from FIG. 1, as a result of which the connecting device 8 and, respectively, the rail system are shown particularly clearly. As already stated, the coding housing 4 and the plug body 6 respectively have two guide rails 9, 10 which run in parallel and at opposite ends of the connecting faces 13. FIGS. 10 and 11 show corresponding enlarged illustrations of a guide rail 9 of the coding housing 4 and a guide rail 10 of the plug body 6 respectively.

(38) In principle, any desired guide can be provided, but a rail system is particularly suitable. Finally, the rail system can be realized in virtually any desired manner, for example, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 11, as interengaging elements or by the plug body 6 having guide rails 10 which are arranged in a clamp-like manner and engage behind corresponding grooves 17 of the guide rails 9 of the coding housing 4. T-shaped webs which make it possible to engage behind corresponding grooves of the mating piece are also possible.

(39) As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the guide rails 9 of the coding housing 4 have end stops 18 which define an end position of the coding housing 4 on the plug body 6 for the assembly movement B. In principle, the connecting device 8 can comprise any desired end stop 18. It can also be provided that the plug body 6 or the coding housing 4 has end stops.

(40) FIG. 12 shows a further assembly step which preferably—but not necessarily—follows the above-described assembly step for establishing the mechanical connection between the coding housing 4 and the plug body 6. In this case, contact bodies 12 are introduced into the connector 2 through corresponding recesses 11 in the coding housing 4 and in the plug body 6 in the insertion direction A in such a way that the relative position between the coding housing 4 and the plug body 6 is fixed. The corresponding recesses 11 are clearly shown in a front view in FIG. 2 which has already been described above. FIG. 12 shows a first contact body 12 already mounted in the electrical connector 2, whereas a second contact body 12 is in a position in which it has not yet been mounted.

(41) All of the contact bodies 12 are mounted in the electrical connector 2 in FIG. 13. On account of the coding housing 4 and the plug body 6 already being connected to one another in an interlocking manner in the insertion direction A by the connecting device 8, the rail system and, respectively, the connecting device 8 can be blocked by insertion of the contact bodies 12 or even by the insertion of a single contact body 12, as a result of which the position between the coding housing 4 and the plug body 6 is defined in all spatial directions. In principle, the coding housing 4 and/or the plug body 6 can be designed in order to receive one to ten contact bodies 12, preferably two to six contact bodies 12 and very particularly preferably four contact bodies 12.

(42) The at least one contact body 12 can be introduced by being pressed, soldered, welded, fused and/or adhesively bonded in the plug body 6 or the receptacle 11 thereof. The at least one contact body 12 is preferably pressed in the plug body 6 or the associated receptacle 11.

(43) The cross section of the contact body 12 can have a stepped design, as illustrated, in such a way that a stop is formed, which stop limits the pushing-in of the contact body 12 into the receptacle 11 of the plug body 6.

(44) The at least one contact body 12 can preferably be designed as a tubular outer conductor or as a contact sleeve and for receiving in each case at least one inner conductor part 19 (cf. FIG. 14). In the exemplary embodiment, the contact bodies 12, which are designed as outer conductors or earth conductors, are pressed with the plug body 6 which is preferably designed from metal, in particular as a die-cast zinc part. As a result, the outer conductors for shielding the inner conductor parts 19, still to be described below, can be electrically connected to the plug body 6 and then to the electrical assembly, for example an earth line of a printed circuit board 5 or an outer conductor of an electrical cable 14.

(45) In a preferably further assembly step, the one inner conductor part 19 or the plurality of inner conductor parts 19 can be introduced into the connector 2. The said inner conductor parts can preferably be pushed into the contact bodies 12, which are designed as contact sleeves, from the rear side of the plug body 6. The inner conductor parts 19—depending on the embodiment of the connector 2 as a straight or angled connector 2—can likewise be of straight or angled design. A dielectric (not illustrated) can preferably be provided for establishing electrical insulation between the inner conductor parts 19.

(46) A connector 2 which is assembled in such a way is then usually electrically and mechanically connected to the electrical assembly, in the present case a printed circuit board 5. This is indicated in FIG. 14. In this case, an earth connection can first be established with the printed circuit board 5 by soldering the contact feet 20 of the plug body 6, as a result of which the plug body 6 is able to electrically shield the received inner conductor parts 19 and in this way possibly also make contact with the contact bodies 12 which are designed as outer conductors. Furthermore, the inner conductor parts 19 can be connected (for example soldered) to corresponding conductor tracks (not illustrated) of the printed circuit board 5.

(47) Although the present invention has been described above in full on the basis of preferred exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto but able to be modified in many ways.

(48) The present disclosure may be summarized as disclosing, inter alia, the following Embodiments.

Embodiment 1

(49) Electrical connector (2) comprising a coding housing (4) for electrical and mechanical connection to a compatible connector (3) and comprising a plug body (6) for electrical and mechanical connection to an electrical assembly (5, 14, 15, 16), wherein the compatible connector (3) can be connected to the coding housing (4) along an insertion direction (A), and wherein the coding housing (4) and the plug body (6) have a mechanical connecting device (8), characterized in that the connecting device (8) is designed in order to connect the coding housing (4) and the plug body (6) to one another in an interlocking manner in the insertion direction (A), wherein the connecting device (8) prespecifies an assembly movement (B), which differs from the insertion direction (A), in order to connect the coding housing (4) and the plug body (6) to one another.

Embodiment 2

(50) Connector (2) according to Embodiment 1, wherein the connecting device (8) comprises a rail system, wherein the coding housing (4) and the plug body (6) each have at least one guide rail (9, 10), which guide rails correspond to one another and together form the rail system.

Embodiment 3

(51) Connector (2) according to Embodiment 2, wherein two guide rails (9, 10) which run in parallel and on opposite sides are arranged in the coding housing (4) and in the plug body (6) in each case.

Embodiment 4

(52) Connector (2) according to one of Embodiments 1 to 3, wherein the connecting device (8) comprises an end stop (18) which defines an end position of the coding housing (4) on the plug body (6) for the assembly movement (B).

Embodiment 5

(53) Connector (2) according to one of Embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the assembly movement (B) takes place along an assembly angle (α), wherein the assembly angle (α) is 30° to 150°, preferably 45° to 135°, particularly preferably 80° to 100° and very particularly preferably 90°, relative to the insertion direction (A).

Embodiment 6

(54) Connector (2) according to one of Embodiments 1 to 5, wherein recesses (11) for at least one contact body (12) are provided in the coding housing (4) and in the plug body (6) in order to introduce the at least one contact body (12) into the plug body (6) through the coding housing (4) in the insertion direction (A), wherein the contact body (12) and the recesses (11) are created in such a way that the coding housing (4) and the plug body (6) are fixed in position in relation to one another by virtue of the introduction of the contact body (12).

Embodiment 7

(55) Connector (2) according to Embodiment 6, wherein the plug body (6) is designed to receive one or more inner conductor parts (19), wherein the at least one contact body (12) is designed as a tubular outer conductor and to receive at least one of the several inner conductor parts (19).

Embodiment 8

(56) Connector (2) according to either of Embodiments 6 and 7, wherein the coding housing (4) and/or the plug body (6) are/is designed in order to receive one to ten contact bodies (12), preferably two to six contact bodies (12) and very particularly preferably four contact bodies (12).

Embodiment 9

(57) Connector (2) according to one of Embodiments 6 to 8, wherein the plug body (6) is designed from metal, preferably as a die-cast zinc part, and is electrically conductively connected to the at least one contact body (12).

Embodiment 10

(58) Connector (2) according to one of Embodiments 1 to 9, wherein the plug body (6) is designed for electrical and mechanical connection to an electrical assembly which is designed as a printed circuit board (5), electrical cable (14), adapter part (15) or device housing (16).

Embodiment 11

(59) Connector (2) according to one of Embodiments 1 to 10, wherein the coding housing (4) has latching means (7) for latching connection to the compatible connector (3).

Embodiment 12

(60) Method for assembling an electrical connector (2) which has a coding housing (4) for electrical and mechanical connection to a compatible connector (3) and has a plug body (6) for electrical and mechanical connection to an electrical assembly (5, 14, 15, 16), wherein the coding housing (4) is mechanically connected to the plug body (6) in one assembly step, wherein the assembly step for establishing the mechanical connection between the coding housing (4) and the plug body (6) comprises an assembly movement (B) of the coding housing (4) relative to the plug body (6), by way of which assembly movement the coding housing (4) and the plug body (6) are connected to one another in an interlocking manner in the insertion direction (A) of the compatible connector (3).

Embodiment 13

(61) Method according to Embodiment 12, wherein the assembly movement (B) comprises pushing the coding housing (4) onto the plug body (6) and/or rotating the coding housing (4) in relation to the plug body (6).

Embodiment 14

(62) Method according to Embodiment 13, wherein the coding housing (4) is pushed onto the plug body (6) using a rail system, wherein the coding housing (4) and the plug body (6) each have at least one guide rail (9, 10), which guide rails correspond to one another.

Embodiment 15

(63) Method according to either of Embodiments 13 and 14, wherein the pushing-on operation takes place along an assembly angle (α), wherein the assembly angle (α) is 30° to 150°, preferably 45° to 135°, particularly preferably 80° to 100° and very particularly preferably 90°, relative to the insertion direction (A).

Embodiment 16

(64) Method according to one of Embodiments 12 to 15, wherein in a further assembly step, at least one contact body (12) is introduced through corresponding recesses (11) in the coding housing (4) and in the plug body (6) in the insertion direction (A) in such a way that the relative position between the coding housing (4) and the plug body (6) is fixed.

Embodiment 17

(65) Method according to Embodiment 16, wherein the at least one contact body (12) is pressed, soldered, welded, fused and/or adhesively bonded in the recess (11) of the plug body (6).

Embodiment 18

(66) Method according to either of Embodiments 16 and 17, wherein in a further assembly step, at least one inner conductor part (19) is passed through the plug body (6) and received by the at least one contact body (12).

Embodiment 19

(67) Connector system (1) comprising an electrical connector (2) according to one of claims 1 to 12, a compatible connector (3) for electrical and mechanical connection to a coding housing (4) of the electrical connector (2) and an electrical assembly (5, 14, 15, 16) for electrical and mechanical connection to a plug body (6) of the electrical connector (2).