WO2008138613A1

WO2008138613A1 - Locking clip for plug connector housings

Info

Publication number: WO2008138613A1
Application number: PCT/EP2008/003898
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jens Andresen
Original assignee: Phoenix Contact Gmbh & Co. Kg
Priority date: 2007-05-15
Filing date: 2008-05-15
Publication date: 2008-11-20
Also published as: DE102007023019B4; DE102007023019A1

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to the area of heavy electrical plug connectors, the housing parts of which are fastened to each other by means of a fastening element. For fast, releasable connection of such plug connectors, made of socket housings and base housings, locking clips equipped with a spring element in the region of the holes for receiving the pivot pins are used. The spring element integrated as one piece with the locking clip applies a constant locking pressure to the connection of the housing parts.

Description

Locking clip for connector housing

Technical area

The present invention relates generally to the field of heavy duty industrial connectors. Many industrial connectors have in common that they consist of contact inserts and an enclosing housing. The contact inserts are usually protected by these enclosing housing against environmental influences such as water and dust. The enclosing housing in turn is attached either directly to a wall bushing with screws and a screw-on to the housing wall, while often detachable industrial connectors with quick release fasteners are often used with a bolted base housing. The enclosure enclosing the contact inserts is also called sleeve housing and meets the requirements of the automotive and machine industry, plant construction and measurement, control and regulation technology very stable and thus designed for a harder load. This type of housing are usually made of an aluminum die-cast alloy and are provided for higher demands still with a corrosion-resistant coating.

Different techniques are available for fastening such sleeve housings with contact inserts to substructure housings. Depending on the application, the grommets, in which the connectors are rarely operated, with screw locking, e.g. equipped with a bayonet lock. For a simple and quick locking or more frequent loosening of the connectors, the mounting contact inserts are used in sub-housing and connected to the associated Tüllengehäusen a locking system. In the locking system, two different locking bar principles are known. So-called locking single lever and locking cross bar, wherein the longitudinal or transverse bar can be arranged on the base housing or on the grommet housing.

State of the art

Such sleeve housing and base housing with longitudinal or transverse bracket are known from the prior art, for example from the product catalog of the "industrial plug PLUSCON 2002 TNR 5123513 / 01.04.02- 00 the company Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co KG.

The locking system for connecting different housings in connectors usually consists of pivot pin, locking cam and locking bracket, which are arranged on the housings.

BESTATIGUNGSKOPIE The pivot pins are used for fastening the usually known from the prior art longitudinal and transverse brackets and are attached to the longitudinal bracket on the transverse sides of the base housing. When using transverse bars, the pivot pins are located on the longitudinal sides of the substructure housing.

The substructure housings are known in the market in three different versions. The different versions are the mounting housing, the base housing and the coupling housing. The mounting housing allows, for example mounted on a wall bushing containing a contact insert, through the locking bracket a quick and easy connection of a Tüllengehäuses with contact insert. The base housing, however, is independent of wall bushings and can be used by the independent recording of a contact insert in a variety of places and quickly locked by the locking bracket with a Tüllengehäuse with contact insert. The equipped with a locking bracket coupling housing has no flange for attachment to, for example, cabinet walls or the like, but is used for quick connection with a Tüllengehäuse. All three housing versions can be equipped with either a longitudinal or a transverse bracket.

The locking cams serve to lock the longitudinal and transverse straps usually known from the prior art and are mounted on the transverse sides of the grommet housing for the single lever. When using crossbars, the locking cams are located on the long sides of the grommet housing. As an alternative to the pivot pin, the base housing can be equipped with locking cams and the sleeve housing can be equipped with pivot pins as an alternative to the locking cam. The spout housing would be in this variant carrier of the locking bracket.

The locking brackets have two versions in use. The longitudinal and transverse strap. The single handle, in the middle of the housing of the sleeve and the housing

Substructure housing attacks and locks the housing so centric on a located in the rear handle slope and leverage against the sealing force of the profile seal. A disadvantage is the locking of the housing by single handle, the relatively high actuation forces.

Divided locking brackets halve the actuating forces, so that the

Connectors can be easily operated even in narrow and hard to reach places. In split locking brackets, two pieces are always used opposite each other on the narrow front side of the housing as a cross bar. Through the use of split locking straps, the crossbar becomes on the opposite side of the impact force relieved, so that the lock can be solved. To avoid this disadvantage, such mounting bracket are equipped with additional spring element components that require more fastening means for these spring elements on the locking bracket

The locking bracket is usually made of metal or plastic. Depending on the type of stress these are simple plastic or metal versions and have no spring element to hold the locked housing optimally. It should be noted that the metal locking brackets are to use changed conditions with respect to dimensional tolerances, different degrees of hardness of the seals, etc. with significantly different operating forces. For example, if the profile seal arranged between the grommet housing and the substructure housing has tolerances in the material thickness or later yields slightly due to material, the lock loosens.

In the locking brackets made of plastic, especially in the Querbügelausführung the number of items from which the crossbar increases, which adversely affects the production costs.

task

The invention is therefore an object of the invention to provide a locking bracket of the type mentioned above, which eliminates the aforementioned disadvantages of a multi-part and proposes a technical solution for a producible without additional locking bracket which makes it possible not only to reduce the number of items and the locking bracket cheaper to produce but also discloses a possibility that ensures a reliable mechanical locking with a maximum of elasticity of the locking bracket with respect to the setting behavior of the material at the highest clamping load between the Tüllen- and substructure housings.

According to the invention this problem is solved by the characterizing features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention will become apparent from the following subclaims and the following descriptions.

task solution

In order to obtain a locking bracket to be realized from the task, a combination of a plurality of desired properties is achieved according to the invention by the locking bracket described below in one piece and illustrated in one exemplary embodiment. The one-piece locking bracket is advantageously made of metal. Other materials are conceivable. By punching, folding and bending technology is It is possible to make a one-piece metal part in a manufacturing process such that the shape of the metal part of an angularly shaped bracket shape, which contains in the middle part with an obliquely angled operating handle and at the 90 degrees angled side parts each have a rear handle and a bore corresponds. The rear handle with the associated slot opening is used for locking and the hole for attachment to the housing by receiving a pivot pin.

Of considerable importance are the advantages of the spring elements required in the prior art locking brackets to achieve a flexible dimensional and elasticity compensation of the parts to be fastened together. According to the integration of the properties of spring elements in the one-piece locking bracket instead of additional resilient components is achieved in that punching slots in the bore for receiving the pivot pin cause this spring effect. The hole in the locking bracket serves to receive the pivot pin and is provided on the respective side of the housing. The die slot placed in the shape of a large open "U" around the bore advantageously aids in the freedom of movement of the lock, the radius of curvature and the distance of the U-shaped slot from the center of the bore thereby determining the return force and jamming dimension of the locking clip. In this case, the position of the curved slot relative to the slot gap extending parallel to one another depends on the direction in which the locking part of the locking bracket requires dimensional and elastic compensation.

An advantageous arrangement is given when the opening of the U-shaped slot in the side part is perpendicular to the angled surface of the central part of the bracket. Between the two legs of the U-shaped slot thus created a spring element. By the spring element of the locking bracket can be moved in the direction perpendicular to the parallel U-shaped legs in the plane of the lateral bracket. The displacement of the locking bracket is determined by the width of the U-shaped slot which extends around the fixed to the bore spring element. In this embodiment of the spring element, the properties of the spring element for the locking of the housing while given but not yet optimal. An even greater effect of the elasticity is achieved in that according to the invention for improving the spring characteristic of the spring element is proposed to provide this spring element in the region between the approximately parallel legs of the U-shaped slot further punching slots. These punching slots advantageously extend parallel to the legs of the U-shaped slot and are arranged between them. The length and width, as well as the number of slots also determine the spring characteristic of the locking bracket. If the number of slots running in parallel is changed, for example increased, the restoring force of the spring element decreases while the displacement of the locking bracket remains constant. The operating force of the bracket during the locking process or the desired tensile force in the locked state on the connection of the housing, can be influenced by the geometry of the openings in the spring element. Other geometric shapes as punching slots for influencing the spring characteristic are conceivable. The inventively designed locking bracket causes by the integrated spring element, which always has a permanent tensile force on the connection of the housing in the locked state and thus there is a constant compression of the profile seal. This advantage is achieved by the flexible arrangement of the locking clip around the spring element arranged on the articulation point.

In addition, the use of other materials such. B. plastic instead of a steel sheet conceivable. Thus, an injection molded plastic bracket could advantageously with all contours and required clamping forces in a suitably adapted

Material thickness are produced. To prevent wear and still obtain relatively high clamping forces this plastic could be glass fiber reinforced.

An embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and will be described in more detail below. It shows

1 shows a complete electrical connector with grommet housing, base housing and locking bracket and

Figure 2 is a partial view of a Tüllen- and substructure housing with locking bracket in the unlocked position and

Figure 3 is a partial view of a Tüllen- and substructure housing with locking bracket in partially locked position (in the closing process) and

Figure 4 is a partial view of a Tüllen- and substructure housing with locking bracket in the locked position.

1, a grommet housing 2 and a substructure housing 3, between which there is a profile seal 24, are shown with two locking stirrups 4 in the locked connection state. In the case of the heavy industrial industrial connector 1 shown in FIG. The sleeve housing 2 includes a contact insert (not shown) and is placed with its four locking cams 13, which are arranged on the outer wall of the housing or on the longitudinal side 18 in the vicinity of the open housing edge 17, on a located in the base housing 3 contact insert. The substructure housing 3 shown in Fig. 1 is a mounting housing. Mounting housing 3 protect the contact inserts inserted therein (not shown), the z. B. are used in wall penetrations of cabinets. The mounting housing 3 have for attachment to control cabinet walls a flange 20 with holes 21 for receiving the mounting screws (not shown). Furthermore, the mounting housing 3 carrier of two locking brackets 4. The locking brackets 4 shown in Fig.l are so-called Querveπiegelungsbügel. Cross-locking bracket 4 are used as longitudinal locking bracket for quick and detachable connection of Tüllengehäusen 2 and base housings 3.

Transverse locking bracket 4 are arranged on the transverse side 19 of the attachment housing 3 and are actuated via the handle 16. The attachment housing 3 contains for attachment of the cross bar 4 on each longitudinal side 18 two pivot pin 6. The pivot pin 6 of the attachment housing 3 take the cross bar 4 in the designated hole 11 such that the locking cross bar 4 is arranged rotatably about the pivot pin 6. In the area of the pivot pin 6, the locking cross bar 4 additionally has a spring element 5, so that a cross bar 4 is equipped with two spring elements 5.

The spring elements 5 are integrated in the locking bracket 4, that the locking bracket 4 is made as a whole in one piece. The spring elements 5 are formed by the arrangement of openings 8 in the locking bracket and are arranged in the vicinity of the bores, which serve to receive the pivot pin. The openings 8 consist of narrow slots 9, wherein a slot 10 of the spring element 5 is U-shaped about the bore 11, which serves to receive the pivot pin 6, is arranged. The mode of operation of the spring element will be described in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.

The latching means 12 consist of two formed on the locking bracket 4 rear handle 14, wherein the shape of the rear handle 14 along the contact edge 22 and Sliding edge 22 with the locking cam 13 a curved slope 23 corresponds. With frequent actuation of the locking bracket 4, a notch on the locking cam 13 can be created by the resulting friction between the sliding edge 22 on the rear handle 14 and the locking cam 13. To prevent the notch is at the sliding edge 22 of the rear handle 14 to broaden the sliding edge 22 in the region of the curved slope 23, a narrow by about 90 degrees angled laterally arranged support surface 15 is present (not shown in Fig. 1).

The actuation of the locking bracket 4 via an obliquely angled on the locking bracket 4 operating handle 16, which is located centrally between the two angled side members 27, ie between the two left and right spring elements 5 and thus on the transverse side 19 of the attachment housing 3 and 2 Düllengehäuse ,

FIG. 2 shows a lateral partial view of an electrical plug connection 1, starting from

Figure 1, consisting of a mated sleeve housing 2 and system housing 3 with an intermediate profile seal and with mounted locking bracket on the mounting housing 3 in the unlocked position.

The locking bracket 4 is rotatably arranged around the outside of the longitudinal side 18 of the attachment housing 4 inserted pivot pin 6.

In the unlocked position of the cross bar 4, but in mated connection of the housing 2, 3, shows the rotatable about the hinge axes 6 arranged rear handle 14 of the locking bracket 4 with the rear handle 14 and disposed between the rear handle 14 and spring element 5 slot opening 25 relative to the top. The actuating handle 16 of the locking bracket 4 is located in the vicinity of the flange 20 of the mounting housing 3 and relatively far away from the contact surface 26 of the transverse side 19 of the spout housing 2. Also, according to the invention arranged around the pivot pin 6 in the locking bracket 4 U-shaped spring element 5 with its openings 8 well visible. The spring element 5 is formed by the openings 8. The openings 8 are designed as slots 9. The spring element 5 is thus defined by the geometrically parallel slots 9 and the U-shaped leading to the pivot pin 6 slot 10 recognizable defined. The locking bracket 4 is in the unlocked position, the spring element 6 is in the untensioned state. In the de-energized state, the slots 9, 10 of the spring element 5 geometrically un deformed and the rear handle 14, and the slot opening 25 are in their geometric position in front of the locking cam 13, so that the sleeve housing 2 of the located in the mounting housing 3 contact insert (not shown ) can be removed or plugged. If the sleeve housing 2 is attached, the locking cam 13 is quasi at a certain vertical distance "y" on the pivot pin 6. The distance "y" between the locking cam 13 and the pivot pin 5 is fixed and can only by the different thickness of the profile seal 24th , which is located between the spout housing 2 and the mounting housing 3, fluctuate. The fluctuation of Material thickness of the profile seal 24 results from the tolerance range of the dimensions for the profile seal 24th

Also, the sliding edge 22 of the locking bracket 4 has to the arranged in the locking bracket 4 bore 11 and bore center a predetermined distance x. This distance

"X" is defined less than the distance "y", which is located between the pivot pin 6 and the

Locking cam 13 results.

If the grommet housing 2 are locked during assembly with the mounting housing 3, the rotatably mounted locking bracket 4 is operated on the operating handle 16 and about the pivot point 7 of the pivot pin 6 against the abutment surface 26 of the transverse side 19 of the

Spool housing 2 moved.

Before the locking bracket 4 in its final locked position acc. 4, enters, as already illustrated in Fig. 3, the rear handle 14 of the locking bracket 4 first with the locking cam 13 in contact. The slot opening 25, which is located between the rear handle 14 and the spring element 5, receives the locking cam 13 in the entrance area.

In the locking bracket 4, the distance "x" is less than the distance "y" (see Fig. 2) between the pivot pin 6 and the locking cam 13. As a result, the locking cam 13 exerts a force on the sliding edge 22 of the rear handle 14. This force is transmitted via the locking bracket 4 on the spring element 5. The spring element 5, which is designed with the arranged openings 8 as a tension spring, counteracts this force. The more the locking cam 13 raises the locking bracket 4 or displaces it about the pivot point 7 of the pivot pin 6, the more the spring element 5 stretches. The U-shaped slot 10, which is uniform in the tension-free state, loses its geometrically identical width. The arranged in the spring element 5 number of parallel slots 9, and their lengths and widths determine the spring characteristic of the spring element 5 and thus the pressure force between the pivot pin 6 and the locking cam 13 via the two housings 2.3 on the intermediate profile seal 24th acts. The maximum spring force is caused by the way of the spring element 5 in the U-shaped slot of the

Locking bracket limited, characterized in that the spring element 5 abuts the wall of the U-shaped slot.

In principle, draw the spring elements on both sides of the locking clip equally on the pivot pin 6 and the locking cam thirteenth

If the locking process, as shown in FIG. 4, continued by the operation of the operating handle 16, the locking bracket 4 pivots against the contact surface At the same time the rear handle 14 slides with its curved slope 23 along the locking cam 13 until the locking cam 13 in the slot opening 25 has reached the end position (stop position). The elongated hole opening 25 is designed in such a way that the distance x between the locking cam 13 and the pivot pin 6 in the end position is slightly larger (in the millimeter range) than the distance "x" according to Fig. 3. The increased distance "x" causes the Force on the profile seal 24 is slightly reduced. The locking of the housing 2,3 remains optimally secured and the spring element 5 is no longer stretched maximum, but can compensate for the outside of the sleeve 2 forces acting in the spring element 5, because the spring element 5 in the U-shaped slot 10 has freedom of movement.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 connector

2 grommets

3 substructure housing

4 locking brackets

5 spring element

6 pivot pins

7 pivot

8 openings

9 slots

10 U-shaped slot

11 bore

12 locking means

13 locking cams

14 rear grip

15 contact surface

16 operating handle

17 case edge

18 long side

19 transverse side

20 flange

21 holes

22 sliding edge

23 curved slopes

24 profile seal

25 slot opening

26 contact surface

27 side panel

Claims

claims

1. Electrical connector (1) consisting of contact inserts and two housing parts, in particular a connector housing (2) and a substructure housing (3), wherein the two housings (2, 3) for connection with each other with at least one locking bracket (4), at least two Pivot pin (6) and at least two locking cams (13) and locking means (12) for Hinterrastung on the locking cam (13) are equipped, characterized in that the locking bracket (4) is in one piece and in each case one of its side parts (27) an integrated spring element (5).

2. Electrical connector according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring element (5) through openings (8) and a hinge pin (6) surrounding slot (10) in the side part (27) is formed.

3. Electrical connector according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the openings (8) of the spring element (5) in the vicinity of the bores (11), which serve to receive the pivot pin (6), are arranged.

4. Electrical connector according to claim 1 to 3, characterized in that the openings (8) of the spring elements (5) consist of narrow slots (9).

5. Electrical connector according to claim 1 to 4, characterized in that the slot (10) around the bore (11) is arranged around U-shaped with mutually parallel slot ends.

6. Electrical plug connection according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the side part (27) through the U-shaped slot (10) a spring element (5) is cut free, which in the plane of the side part (27) about the pivot point (27). 7) of the

Pivot pin (6) is elastically movable.

7. Electrical connector according to claim 6, characterized in that the spring element (5) by a slot (10) is enclosed almost circular, so that the slot has the shape of an almost closed "U".

8. Electrical connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spring element (5) at its not from the slot (10) limited side has at least one opening (8) or at least one slot (9).

9. Electrical connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the latching means (12) consist of two on the locking bracket (4) formed rear handle (14).

10. Electrical connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shape of the rear handle (14) consists of a curved slope (23).

11. Electrical plug connection according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the region of the curved slope (23) for widening the sliding edge (22) of the rear handle (14) is arranged a bearing surface (15) for the locking cam (13).

12. Electrical connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the locking bracket (4) an actuating handle (16) is arranged.

13. Electrical connector according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuating handle (16) is located between the two side parts (27).

14. Electrical plug connection according to claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the locking bracket (4) is made by injection molding instead of sheet steel made of plastic.