EP0867054A1

EP0867054A1 - Coaxial plug connector for communications technology, in particular in motor vehicles

Info

Publication number: EP0867054A1
Application number: EP96939106A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Frank Waidner; Gabriele Aydt
Original assignee: Wilhelm Sihn jr KG
Current assignee: Wilhelm Sihn jr KG
Priority date: 1995-11-20
Filing date: 1996-11-20
Publication date: 1998-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 2016-11-20
Also published as: ES2138386T3; WO1997019496A1; US6132234A; EP0867054B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a coaxial plug connector for communications technology, in particular in motor vehicles, comprising a plug (1) on which an interlocking device (10) is externally mounted, and a coupler (21) with interlocking means (27) on its outer surface. Downstream of the plug and socket connection in the direction of the axis (14) of insertion there is arranged on one side the bush (5) of the plug (1) and the external conductor of the coupler (21) and on the other the interlocking device (10) and the interlocking means (27) which engage in each other and are mutually in contact with respect to the internal conductor of the contact (6) and the fixed contact (25). The interlocking device (10) is a locating spring which is mounted at one point (9) in the vicinity of the insulating support (8) to the housing (2) of the plug (1), extends with at least one finger (12, 13) along the bush (5) and has at the tip of the finger (12, 13) a projection (16) counter to the axis (14) of insertion. The fingers (12, 13) extend rearwardly across that point (9) to form levers (18, 19) which can be pressed against the rear component (3) of the housing (2), thereby causing the fingers (12, 13) to pivot resiliently outwards. The interlocking means (27) on the coupler (21) are formed by an external projection or by a notch, behind or in which the fingers (12, 13) engage with the projection (16) thereof.

Description

Coaxial connector for communication technology, especially in vehicles

Description:

The invention is based on a coaxial connector with the objective features specified in the preamble of claim 1. Such a connector is known for communications technology applications under the name "IEC connector" (IEC 169-16) in such an IEC connector - Connector is the outer conductor of the coupler, which is also referred to as a socket, is conical on the inside and receives the slow-slotted sleeve of the plug, which is pulled into the coupler by a union nut provided on the plug, which is turned on an external thread of the coupler , with elastic constriction of the sleeve of the connector Also known are coaxial connectors with snap locking. The well-known iEC connector has been retained With the increasing introduction of communication technology in

ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS Automobiles (radio receivers, mobile phones, cassette players, CD players, on-board computers, distance warning devices, navigation systems, telemetric road usage fee detection systems, etc.) there is a need for coaxial connectors that are cheaper than the IEC connectors, miniaturize and are easy to assemble and handle under the cramped assembly conditions in the automobile

The object of the present invention is to satisfy this need

This object is achieved by a plug connector with the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims

In order to be able to connect and disconnect the connector according to the invention particularly conveniently, unlike the IEC connector, the connector and coupler are not screwed together, but rather are locked together by a detent spring. This detent spring is attached to the connector housing, preferably in an annular groove fixed, which is located on the outside of the housing of the plug. The annular groove takes the detent spring rotatable about the plug axis of the plug, but immovable in the longitudinal direction of the axis. It is expediently located near the insulating support provided in the plug housing, at the transition from the rear part of the connector housing to the sleeve forming the front part of the connector housing From the groove, at least one finger extends along the jacket surface of the sleeve. If the outer conductor of the coupler, which is also referred to as a socket, takes up the sleeve of the connector, the fingers on the connector extend Surface of the The sleeve preferably extends at most to the front end of the sleeve and can protrude from the sleeve with its projection. In this case, the plug is pushed into the outer conductor of the coupler, the fingers are lifted by it, slide along the outer conductor of the coupler and snap finally behind the locking means provided therefor, however, if the sleeve of the plug receives the outer conductor of the coupler, then the fingers extend along the jacket surface of the sleeve preferably beyond its front edge, with the protruding end of the at least one finger against the axis of the plug Directional projection is provided If the plug is pushed onto the coupler, the projections of the fingers move along the outside of the coupler until they meet an incision or projection provided on the outside of the coupler, in particular a collar, with further pushing on the The fingers on the coupler are bent radially outwards by sliding onto the collar, and as soon as the protrusions of the fingers have overcome the collar, they spring radially inwards and bring about the locking

In the connector according to the invention, in contrast to the IEC connector, pushing the sleeve of the connector over the outer conductor of the coupler makes a particularly compact connector possible. With the outer diameter of the coaxial cable to which the connector is attached, the connector has a particularly compact shape minimal external dimensions essentially fixed, both with regard to the rear part of the connector housing, which is mounted on the jacket of the coaxial cable, and also with regard to the front part of the connector housing, which is designed as a sleeve and coaxially surrounds the inner conductor contact pin The connector cooperating coupler can be reduced in size more easily, in particular if it is a device socket which is provided on the housing of an electrical or electronic device, with a coupler which is inserted into the sleeve of the plug is a miniaturization of the easiest coaxial connector m possible

In order to be able to unlock and disconnect the connector again, the fingers are extended beyond the point (preferably a groove) at which the detent spring is fixed, to the rear to form levers which are at a distance from the lateral surface of the rear housing part of the connector , so that they can be printed against the outer surface of the rear housing part, do so, swing your fingers outward and reveal a recess into which they were snapped, or a projection, in particular a collar, behind which they were snapped

The detent spring is preferably made of plastic and is produced by injection molding. To hold it, the detent spring preferably has a ring or a clamp, which or which is snapped into the groove on the outside of the plug housing and from which or in which the fingers in one direction and in the other direction extend the lever for operating the fingers

It is best to see exactly two diametrically opposed fingers, to which two diametrically opposed levers belong. This allows the plug connection to be separated easily and quickly, even under cramped installation conditions, by being pressed together and pulled apart, more easily and more quickly than with a union nut, whereby Another advantage is that, despite the inevitable vibrations that occur in the automobile, the latching detent spring locks the plug connection unchanged, whereas a screw connection can loosen. In addition, the latching connection provided is cheaper than a screw connection

Even with fingers arranged on only one side, a sufficiently reliable locking of the plug and coupler with one another can already be achieved. One-sided fingers are particularly expedient in an advantageous development of the invention in which the clip provided for snapping onto the fingers for accommodating a plurality of connector housings next to one another This measure is designed as a multiple clip. This measure is particularly advantageous because in this way several coaxial plug connectors can be combined side by side to form a coherent group. This not only brings order to an otherwise possible tangle of cables; this way also have group of plugs tied together, put them with a handle on the associated coupler and the various plugs and couplers can be locked together by a single common part. This embodiment of the invention is favorable in terms of small dimensions, simple handling and inexpensive production. The plugs can be kept floating in the multiple clamp. The clip is preferably part of a frame encompassing the entirety of the plug housings or a half shell encompassing the entirety of the plug housings, as a result of which the entirety of the plug housings is given more grip and the joint handling is facilitated. On this frame or on this half-shell, one not only preferably provides a multiple clamp, but two multiple clamps which are spaced apart from one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the connector; this measure also contributes to easier handling of the plugs as a whole and, in an advantageous further development of the invention, enables a plurality of fingers to be arranged next to one another which have a common lever for actuating them.

A holder with detent spring that fits onto a whole group of plugs can be produced in one piece by injection molding from plastic. If you manufacture them with double, triple or quadruple clamps, you can easily form double, triple or quadruple plugs with a single type of single plug as required.

In the case of such multiple plugs, there is the possibility of attaching the fingers used for the locking in a space-saving manner, namely in such a way that they come to lie in the gusset-shaped space between adjacent plug housings, so that the multiple plug is hardly thicker than one despite the locking means Single plug without locking device. Another advantage is that, in this embodiment, the fingers are recessed in the gore-shaped spaces and are therefore narrow when handling Cable spaces or when pulling into cable harnesses can hardly get caught or hit anywhere, so that the risk of unintentional unlocking is reduced has adjacent projections or incisions, behind which or in which the fingers can engage with their projections in a form-fitting manner

The connector can be fastened to a coaxial cable in a manner known per se. For example, the rear housing part can be equipped with a self-tapping or better still with a self-tapping thread with which it is screwed directly onto the jacket of the coaxial cable. The rear housing part is preferably The connector is designed as a crimping pulse and is attached to the cable sheath by crimping. A crimping connection can be established more quickly than a screw connection and offers sufficient tensile strength under the conditions of use prevailing in automobiles to be able to connect safely with the inner conductor contact pin of the connector

Embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings

FIG. 1 shows a connector according to the invention half in a side view and half in a longitudinal section,

FIG. 2 shows a coupler matching the connector in FIG. 1 half in a side view and half in a longitudinal section,

FIG. 3 shows the connector shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 put together in a side view, attached to a housing wall, FIG. 4 shows the connector shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 put together in a side view, with the connector set back in a recess in a housing wall,

FIG. 5 shows a detent spring with triple clips for receiving three plugs,

FIG. 6 shows the catch spring from FIG. 5 in a view of its underside,

FIG. 7 shows the section Vll-Vll according to FIG. 6,

FIG. 8 shows the section VIII-VIII according to FIG. 6,

FIG. 9 shows the view of the detent spring in the direction of arrow IX in FIG. 6,

FIG. 10 shows the view of the detent spring in the direction of arrow X in FIG. 6,

FIG. 11 shows a coaxial triple coupler in a front view, matching the group of plugs in FIG. 5,

FIG. 12 shows the section XII-XM according to FIG. 11,

Figure 13 shows the section Xlll-Xlll according to Figure 11, and

FIG. 14 shows the top view looking in the direction of arrow 14 onto the triple coupler according to FIG. 11

The same or corresponding parts are identified in the different figures with the same reference numerals Figure 1 shows a coaxial connector 1, the one-piece housing 2 is designed as an outer conductor and has a rear part 3, which receives a coaxial cable 4, and has a front part 5, which is designed as a sleeve and in a coaxial arrangement one as an inner conductor Serving contact pin 6 surrounds, which is designed rather as a hollow pin and receives the inner conductor of the coaxial cable 4, not shown. Between the rear part 3 and the front part 5 of the housing 2 there is a central housing section 7, which carries an insulating support 8 inside, in which the contact pin 6 is inserted, and which has an annular groove 9 on the outside, into which a through groove Injection molding made of plastic detent spring 10 is inserted. The detent spring 10 consists of a ring 11 engaging in the annular groove 9, from which two fingers 12 and 13 extend forward, which are arranged diametrically with respect to the axis 14, lie against the outer surface of the sleeve 5 and extend beyond its front edge 15 In the section projecting beyond the edge 15, the fingers 12 and 13 each have a projection 16 directed against the axis 14, to which a run-up slope 17 adjoins. In the alignment of the fingers 12 and 13, a ring 18 and 19 extends from the ring 11 in the rearward direction, which extends at a distance from the rear part 3 of the connector housing.

The rear part 3 of the connector housing is designed as a crimp pulse. In order to attach the connector 1 to the coaxial cable 3, a piece of the cable jacket is first removed, thereby exposing the cable outer conductor 20, which in the example shown consists of a metal braid. The outer cable 20 is turned back so that it comes to rest on the cable jacket, the cable dielectric freed from the outer cable is removed and in this way a piece of the inner cable is exposed and the cable thus prepared from the rear into the connector 1 until it stops introduced and the rear part 3 of the plug housing fixed by crimping on the cable jacket and the outer cable 20 and the inner cable by crimping in the hollow inner conductor contact pin 6. The coupler 21 shown in Figure 2 is shown as a device socket, the one-piece housing forms the outer conductor and is connected to a housing wall 22 of the device in question. In the coupler 21 there is an insulating support 23, in which an inner conductor contact socket 25 is provided which is provided with two longitudinal slots 24 and which is connected to a conductor 26 leading into the device. An annular collar 27 is located on the outside of the coupler 21.

If the coupler 21 and the plug 1 are plugged together, the sleeve 5 slides over the outer conductor of the coupler 21 and at the same time the contact pin 6 is inserted into the inner conductor contact socket 25, which expands elastically. To ensure good electrical contact between the outer conductor of the

To achieve coupler 21 and the sleeve 5, the sleeve 5 should preferably be designed so that it can be elastically expanded, either because it is designed to be thin-walled or because it is slit lengthways. Alternatively or additionally, good contact on the end face between the plug outer conductor and the outer conductor of the coupler 21 can be achieved in that the projections 16 which snap in behind the collar 27 not only have run-on bevels on one side, but also have run-off bevels on the other side (Fig. 1) with which you pull the plug outer conductor against a stop formed on the coupler 21 when it engages.

During assembly, the fingers 12 and 13 hit the collar 27 with their run-up bevels 17, are spread because of the inclined surfaces 17 and pushed over the collar 27 until the projections 16 snap behind the collar against the plug-in axis 14 (see FIG. 3 ). To disconnect the connector, press the levers 18 and 19 together in the direction of the arrows 28 and 29, whereby the fingers 12 and 13 are spread apart. Then they are pulled back over the collar, the plug 1 being taken along and pulled away. The exemplary embodiment in FIG. 4 shows a particular advantage of the invention: the fact that the plug 1 can be unlocked by pressing the levers 18 and 19 together, it is possible to reset the coupler 21 and thereby protect it in a recess 28 in the housing 29 to accommodate.

Three plugs 1, similar to those shown in FIG. 1, can be combined into a triple plug with the aid of a common locking device 10 spanning them, as shown in FIG. Details of such a locking device 10 are shown in FIGS. 5 to 10. The locking device 10 has a frame which is approximately rectangular in plan view and has two triple clips 31 and 32 on its two longitudinal sides, which the three plugs 1 in parallel record side by side. The plug 1 with its annular groove 9 is snapped or clipped into the one triple clip 31, the crimping pulse 3 or the coaxial cable emerging therefrom is snapped into or clipped into the other triple clip 32. The locking device 10 combines the three connectors 1 in this way to a manageable unit. In this exemplary embodiment, the locking device 10 is also designed as a detent spring and for this purpose has two fingers 12 and 13 which run parallel to one another and extend from that leg of the frame of the locking device 10 which forms the back of the triple clip 31. The levers 18 used to actuate the two fingers 12 and 13 are connected to one another by a web 33, so that the two fingers 12 and 13 can be actuated together by pressure on the web 33. The web 33 lies in the area of a window 34 provided in the frame.

The associated couplers 21 are - as shown in FIGS. 11 to 14 - combined to form a triple coupler with an integrally cast outer conductor. On one side of the triple coupler there are projections 36 in the gussets 35, which exist between adjacent couplers 21, but are not so high that they protrude from the gussets 35. The projections 36 have inclined surfaces 37 onto which the fingers 12 and 13 slide when the plug 1 is plugged together with the couplers 21 until they engage with their projections 16 behind the projections 36 and effect a positive locking

In contrast to the first exemplary embodiment, in this exemplary embodiment the outer conductors of the couplers 21 take up the outer conductors 5 of the plugs 1. Nevertheless, the construction of the plug connector remains compact because the fingers 12 and 13 are recessed in the gussets 35

The outer conductor of the triple coupler is preferably made of die-cast. The middle coupler 21 is provided on the outer conductor with a slow-running rib 38, which serves as a carrier for a coding

Claims

Expectations:

1 coaxial connector with snap lock for communication technology, especially in vehicles,

Consisting of a plug (1) with an integral housing (2) forming the outer conductor of the plug, which holds an contact (6) forming the inner conductor of the plug by means of an insulating connector (8) and one behind the insulating connector (8) rear part (3) for fastening on the jacket of a coaxial cable (4) and in front of the insulating sleeve (8) has a sleeve (5) coaxially surrounding the contact (6) and a locking device on the outside

(10) carries

and from a coupler (21) with an outer conductor and with a counter-contact (25) arranged coaxially therein and held by an insulating support (23) and forming the inner conductor of the coupler (21), and with locking means

(27) on the outside of the coupler (21),

whereby after the plug connection in the direction of a plug-in axis (14), on the one hand the sleeve (5) of the plug (1) and the outer conductor of the coupler (21) and on the other hand the locking device (10) and the locking means (27) intermesh and with regard to the The inner conductor of the contact (6) and the mating contact (25) are in mutual engagement,

characterized in that the Verπegelungseinπchtung (10) is a detent spring, which at a point (9) in the vicinity of the insulating connector (8) on the

Housing (2) of the plug (1) is attached, extends with at least one finger (12, 13) along the sleeve (5) and at the tip of the finger (12, 13) one against the plug axis (14) has directed projection (16),

that the fingers (12, 13) are extended beyond that point (9) to the rear to form levers (18, 19) which can be printed in the direction towards the rear part (3) of the housing (2), as a result of which the fingers (12, 13) pivot elastically outwards,

and that the locking means (27) on the coupler (21) are formed by an outer projection or by an incision, behind which or in which the fingers (12, 13) engage with their projection (16)

2 Connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the sleeve (5) of the plug (1) receives the outer conductor of the coupler (2)

3 Connector according to claim 2, characterized in that the Veme¬ gelmittel (27) on the coupler (21) are formed by a collar

4 Connector according to claim 3, characterized in that the Rastfe¬ the (10) in an on the outside of the connector housing (2) provided annular groove (9) is fixed

5 connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the detent spring (10) has a ring (11) with which it is fixed on the outside of the connector housing (2) and of which on the one hand the fingers (12, 13) and on the other hand the levers (18, 19) go out to actuate them

6 Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that exactly two fingers (12, 13) and two levers (18, 19) are provided and these are diametrically opposed to each other in pairs

7. Connector according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized gekennzeich¬ net that the detent spring (10) has a bracket (31, 32) with which it is fixed on the outside of the connector housing (2).

8. Connector according to claim 7, characterized in that the clip (31, 32) is designed as a multiple clip for receiving several

Connector housing (2) side by side.

9. Connector according to claim 8, characterized in that the Klam¬ mer (31, 32) is part of a whole of the connector housing (2) encompassing frame (Figure 5) or a half-shell.

10. Connector according to claim 9, characterized in that on the Rah¬ men (Figure 5) or on the half-shell two in the direction of the longitudinal axis (14) of the connector a spacing brackets or Mehrfach¬ brackets (31, 32) are provided .

11. Connector according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that a plurality of fingers (12, 13) are provided side by side, which have a common lever (18) for their actuation.

12. Connector according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized gekennzeich¬ net that the fingers (12, 13) with respect to the multiple clamps (31, 32) are arranged so that they lie in gore-shaped gaps between adjacent connector housings (2) , and that a plurality of couplers (21) are combined to form a unit in which the projections (27) lie in the interstices between the couplers (21), behind which the fingers (12, 13) engage.

13. Connector according to claim 12, characterized in that the coupler (21) receive the sleeves (5) of the plug (1).

14. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the detent spring (10) consists of plastic.

15. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the rear part (3) of the housing (2) of the plug (1) is designed as a crimp pulse.

16. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the contact pin (6) of the plug (1) iπ its rear portion is designed as a crimp pulse.

17. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the sleeve (5) and / or the coupler (21) are formed radially resilient.

18. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contact (6) is a hollow contact pin and the mating contact

(25) is a longitudinally slotted contact socket.

19. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the coupler (21) is a socket with a rigid outer conductor.

20. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that the outer conductor of the coupler (21) receives the sleeve (5) of the plug (1) and the fingers (12, 13) at most up to the front end of the sleeve ( 5) of the plug (1).

21. Connector according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized gekennzeich¬ net that the sleeve (5) of the plug (1) receives the outer conductor of the coupler (21) and the fingers (12, 13) up to the front edge of the Extend the sleeve (5) of the plug (1)

22. Coaxial connector (1) for use in a connector with the features contained in one of the preceding claims