CN112236906B

CN112236906B - Assembly of a plug connector part having a holding frame and modular contact inserts that can be attached to the holding frame

Info

Publication number: CN112236906B
Application number: CN201980037860.3A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 萨沙·阿尔达格
Original assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2018-06-07
Filing date: 2019-06-04
Publication date: 2022-04-29
Anticipated expiration: 2039-06-04
Also published as: WO2019233971A1; EP3804045A1; DE102018113563A1; CN112236906A; EP3804045B1

Abstract

Assembly of a plug connector part (1), comprising: a holding frame (3) having several frame walls (31, 32) and frame openings (30) limited by the frame walls (31, 32) for accommodating a plurality of modular contact inserts (4) on a plurality of slots (300) arranged one behind the other in the width direction (B); and at least one modular contact insert (4) which can be inserted into the frame opening (30) on at least one insertion slot (300) and has a housing body (42) with at least one protruding element (420, 421) arranged thereon for snapping into a corresponding recess (310, 320) on one of the frame walls (31, 32) of the holding frame (3). Wherein the at least one modular contact insert (4) has at least one slide element (43) which is guided displaceably on the housing body (42) and on which the at least one projection element (420, 421) is arranged. In this way, an assembly of the plug connector part is provided which allows tolerance compensation between the contact insert and the holding frame.

Description

Assembly of a plug connector part having a holding frame and modular contact inserts that can be attached to the holding frame

Technical Field

The invention relates to an assembly of a plug connector part according to the preamble of claim 1.

Background

The assembly includes a retention frame having frame walls and frame openings bounded by the frame walls for receiving a plurality of modular contact inserts in a plurality of slots arranged in a widthwise sequence. At least one modular contact insert is insertable into the frame opening over the at least one slot and has a housing body with at least one protruding element arranged thereon for snapping into a corresponding recess on one of the frame walls of the holding frame.

Such a retaining frame serves for modular accommodation of the contact insert on the plug connector. One or more contact inserts can be arranged on such a holding frame in order to be inserted together with the holding frame into the housing of the plug connector part and to be connected to the housing. In this way, the contact inserts can be combined with one another in a modular manner and can be arranged in or on the plug connector part by means of the retaining frame.

Such contact inserts may, for example, have one or more electrical contacts. In this case, the contact inserts are connected on the one hand to the electrical lines leading to the plug connector and on the other hand form plug contacts, by means of which the plug connector can be brought into a plugged engagement with the mating plug connector part for electrical contact.

The advantage of such modular contact inserts is that the modular plug connector is flexible in its manner of assembly and can therefore be used in various ways.

In the holding frame disclosed in DE 102012110907 a1, a first holding frame part has a groove for accommodating the projecting elements of the contact insert, to which first holding frame part a second holding frame part can be attached in order in this way to block the projecting elements located in the groove and thus to lock them on the holding frame.

In the modular plug connector known from EP 1353412B 1, the module can, for example, contain switching elements which assume a signal conditioning function or a signal control function in the module. A plurality of modules may be attached to the holding frame in a sequential arrangement.

In the plug connector part known from DE 102016107412 a1, a contact insert with a contact carrier arranged movably on the module housing is attached to a holding frame.

In the holding frame known from DE 202013103611U 1, the holding frame parts are made of sheet metal.

In the plug connector part known from EP 3011643B 1, a spring element is arranged on the holding frame, which spring element acts on a plug connector module arranged on the holding frame.

In conventional plug connectors, modular contact inserts are attached to slots of a holding frame, so that a combination of contact inserts is produced on the plug connector part in order to provide an arrangement of contacts, such as electrical contacts, optical contacts, pneumatic contacts or the like. A coding is provided on the contact inserts by one or more projecting elements formed on the housing body of each contact insert, which co-act with corresponding grooves on the frame wall of the holding frame in order to attach the contact insert azimuthally correctly to the holding frame. Furthermore, the contact insert can be snap-fastened to the holding frame by means of the projecting element.

As with the holding frame, these contact inserts may have tolerances. Furthermore, tolerances may also exist when positioning the retaining frame in the corresponding housing of the plug connector part. This requires that tolerances are compensated during the arrangement of the contact insert in the holding frame.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to provide an assembly of plug connector parts which enables tolerance compensation between the contact insert and the retaining frame.

The solution of the invention to achieve the object defined above is the subject matter of the features of claim 1.

According to the invention, the at least one modular contact insert has at least one slide element which is guided displaceably on the housing body, the at least one projection element being arranged on the at least one slide element.

Thereby, one or more projecting elements are arranged on one or more slide elements and are adjustably supported on the housing body. In this way, the projecting elements are not arranged rigidly on the housing body, but can be moved relative to the housing body by adjusting the at least one carriage element, so that tolerances are compensated for in the orientation of the projecting elements relative to the housing body of the respective contact insert. In this way, in the position in which the contact insert is attached to the holding frame, tolerance compensation is carried out between the contact insert and the holding frame by: the contact insert is supported on the holding frame by its projecting elements, so that the orientation of the contact insert relative to the holding frame is variable within a certain range by adjusting the projecting elements.

One or more carriage elements are movably guided on the housing body. Each carriage element preferably carries a corresponding projecting element, so that each projecting element can be adjusted relative to the housing body by means of the corresponding carriage element, so that the projecting elements can be adjusted on the housing body independently of one another in their orientation.

Each slide element is preferably movably guided on the housing body by snapping a guide pin into a corresponding guide slot. In one embodiment, one or more guide grooves can be formed on the housing body, for example, into which the corresponding carriage element can be inserted by means of one or more guide pins, so that the carriage element can be guided and adjusted on the housing body in a form-fitting manner.

In one embodiment, the contact inserts can be inserted into the holding frame in the insertion direction. The insertion direction can be the direction in which the arrangement of the contact elements (provided by the retaining frame on which the contact inserts are fitted on the plug connector) is to be plug-connected to the corresponding mating plug connector part. Preferably, the at least one carriage element carrying the at least one projecting element is guided movably on the housing body in the insertion direction, so that the adjustment direction of the carriage element on the housing body corresponds to the insertion direction. This allows tolerance compensation, in particular in the insertion direction, by adjusting the orientation of the protruding element relative to the housing body.

In one embodiment, the at least one carriage element is elastically pretensioned in the insertion direction relative to the housing body by means of a spring element. In this way, the carriage elements are adjusted on the housing body in a resilient manner, wherein-in a solution with a plurality of carriage elements and projecting elements arranged thereon-each carriage element can be resiliently pretensioned with respect to the housing body by means of a dedicated spring element. Each spring element can be accommodated, for example, in a corresponding tension accommodation on the housing body and pretensions the projecting element against the housing body, for example, counter to the insertion direction.

The at least one spring element can be designed, for example, as a compression spring which can be compressed when the carriage element is adjusted.

In one embodiment, the housing body has a stop element which limits the adjustment path of the slide element relative to the housing body in the insertion direction. For example, in the rest position, a spring element assigned to the carriage element can press the carriage element against the stop element, wherein the carriage element can be moved away from the stop element counter to the spring prestress for tolerance compensation.

In an advantageous embodiment, each modular contact insert has two slide elements arranged on opposite sides on the housing body, which each carry a projection element. The carriage elements are adjustable on the housing body separately and independently of one another and are preferably each pretensioned relative to the housing body by a spring element. This makes it possible to adjust the orientation of the projecting element on the housing body and thus of the contact insert on the holding frame by moving one or both slide elements relative to the housing body.

For example, in the case of a contact insert whose width corresponds to a multiple of the width of the insertion slot (for example double the width), so that the contact insert occupies more than one insertion slot in the inserted position into the holding frame, the contact insert can also have more than one slide element on opposite sides, each of which carries a projecting element and can be adjusted independently of one another on the housing body.

The projecting elements on the housing body preferably each correspond to a recess in the frame wall of the holding frame. Accordingly, the opposite frame walls of the holding frame each have (at least) one recess for each receptacle slot, so that, when the contact insert is inserted into the holding frame, the projecting elements on the opposite sides of the housing body of the contact insert can engage with the recesses on the opposite frame walls of the holding frame, so that the contact insert is supported on the frame walls of the holding frame.

The recesses of the opposite frame walls corresponding to one slot may have different widths as seen in the width direction. For example, a first width of a first groove corresponding to one slot on a first frame wall is different from a second width of a groove corresponding to the slot on a second frame wall disposed opposite the first frame wall. The corresponding projecting elements on the opposite sides of the housing body of the contact insert insertable into the socket preferably have (likewise different) widths which correspond to the widths of the corresponding grooves of the opposite frame walls, so that a certain coding is formed by these grooves and the corresponding projecting elements, which coding makes it possible to insert the contact insert into the socket in only one orientation and orientation. The projecting elements can engage with the corresponding recesses only if the contact insert is attached to the corresponding receptacle in the correct orientation, so that the contact insert can be accommodated on the holding frame only if it is attached in the correct orientation.

The projection element can be snapped into the recess by means of a corresponding snap-in element, for example, in an elastic manner, so that the contact insert is positively (optionally releasably) fixed on the holding frame.

In one embodiment, plug-in parts are formed on the housing body of at least some of the contact inserts, which serve to plug-in connect the contact inserts to corresponding mating plug-in connector parts. The arrangement of several contact inserts can be combined on a holding frame and mounted in the housing of a plug connector part in order to equip the plug connector part with an arrangement of electrical contacts, for example. By means of the plug-in connection of the plug-in connector part, the plug-in part of the contact insert on the holding frame can be plug-in connected to the corresponding mating plug-in part on the mating plug-in connector part, so that a connection is established between the plug-in connector part and the mating plug-in connector part and, for example, electrical, optical or other contact elements are brought into contact.

One or more contact elements, such as electrical contact elements, optical contact elements, pneumatic contact elements or other contact elements, can be arranged on the housing body of one or more contact inserts. In this way, contact elements for plug-in connection with corresponding mating contact elements are fixed on the housing body.

On the rear side of the plug-in connection formed on the housing body, one or more sockets can be formed on the housing body for connecting, for example, electrical or optical lines to contact elements on the housing body.

A plurality of slots are defined in the holding frame and are arranged in sequence in the width direction. Each socket is principally intended to receive a contact insert, so that in this case the pitch (Teilung) of the socket is equal to the pitch of the contact insert. In one embodiment, the width of the contact insert may be several times (e.g., double) the width of the slot. If such a contact insert is attached to the holding frame, it occupies the space of two or more adjacent insertion slots in the inserted state and is accordingly held on the two or more adjacent insertion slots on the holding frame.

The holding frame forms a plurality of slots staggered in the width direction for accommodating a plurality of contact inserts. Each slot corresponds, for example, to a spring element on the frame wall for latching, so that the contact insert can be inserted into the slot and latched in the slot separately and can also be removed again from the slot. The holding frame advantageously has a substantially rectangular outer shape. Wherein the frame walls form, along the longitudinal sides of the holding frame, side surfaces on which two spring elements for locking are arranged opposite for each slot.

In one embodiment, the plug connector part can have a holding frame of the type described above. A plurality of modular contact inserts can be inserted into the holding frame, at least some of the modular contact inserts having a plug section which can be connected to the mating connector part in the plug-in direction and on which contact elements for contacting the mating connector part are arranged. Electrical, optical, hydraulic, pneumatic or other contacts may be provided on the contact insert, for example. The plug connector part is connected in a plug-in manner to the corresponding mating plug connector part, so that the contact between the contact insert held in the holding frame and the corresponding mating contact takes place on the side of the mating plug connector part.

Drawings

The basic idea of the invention is explained in detail below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

Wherein:

fig. 1 is a view of a plug connector part with a holding frame and a contact insert inserted in the holding frame;

FIG. 2 is a view of a retention frame with a contact insert inserted therein;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view of an embodiment of a contact insert comprising a housing body and a slider element arranged thereon carrying projecting elements;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7A is a front view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7B is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 7A;

FIG. 8A is a top view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 4; and

fig. 8B is a sectional view taken along line B-B in fig. 8A.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment of a plug connector part 1 having a housing 10 and a holding frame 3 inserted into the housing 10. In this embodiment, the electrical wires 11, which may contain a plurality of wire cores communicating with the housing 10, extend into the housing 10 in order in this way to make electrical contact with the contacts arranged on the holding frame 3.

The plug connector part 1 can be connected in a plug-in manner to a corresponding counter-plug connector part 2 in the plug-in direction S. The holding frame 3 of the plug connector part 1 serves to receive a modular contact insert 4 as illustrated in the embodiment in fig. 2 and 3. The contact inserts 4 are attached to the holding frame 3 and have outwardly projecting plug parts 40 on which contact elements 400 are arranged for plug connection and electrical contact with corresponding mating contact elements of the mating plug connector component 2.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the contact insert 4 is of modular design and may have different properties. The contact inserts 4 each have a housing part 42 which, on the side facing the interior of the housing 10 of the plug-type connector part 1, has a socket 41 into which the wire core of the line 11 can be inserted for electrical contacting. On the opposite, outwardly facing side, the plug section 40 projects from the housing part 42 together with the contact elements 400 arranged thereon in order to form a plug-in engagement with the mating plug connector part 2.

The contact inserts 4 can differ in the shape of the plug part 40 on which the contact elements 400 are arranged, in the number of the contact elements 400 or in the basic function. For example, the contact insert 4 can provide not only electrical contacts, but also, for example, mechanical or pneumatic contacts.

The contact insert 4 can be attached to the holding frame 3 in different combinations in a modular manner. The holding frame 3 has

frame walls

31, 32 parallel to one another in the width direction B, which are spaced apart in the depth direction Q and accommodate the contact inserts 4 between one another. The

frame walls

31, 32 are connected to one another at the end sides by

wall parts

33, 34, so that a rectangular frame with an opening 30 is formed, into which the contact insert 4 can be inserted along the insertion direction E.

In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in fig. 2 and 3, the contact inserts 4 have the same pitch dimension in the width direction B, in particular the same width. But this is not a mandatory feature.

A pair of

opposite recesses

310, 320 are formed in the

frame walls

31, 32, respectively, which recesses are insertable into the projecting

elements

420, 421 of the contact insert 4, so that the contact insert 4 with its projecting

elements

420, 421 is located in the pair of

opposite recesses

310, 320, respectively, when the contact insert 4 is arranged in the holding frame 3.

The

grooves

310, 320 of the

opposite frame walls

31, 32 have different widths a1, a2 (see fig. 3) measured in the width direction B. This forms a coding which makes it possible to insert the contact insert 4 only into the insertion groove 300 formed between the

frame walls

31, 32 in a predetermined orientation. Thus, the first projecting element 420, which is narrower as measured in the width direction B, can be inserted into the recess 310 on the first frame wall 31, while the second projecting element 421, which is arranged on the opposite side of the housing part 42 to this, can only be inserted into the recess 320 on the second frame wall 32 in view of its width a 2.

By means of spring elements (not shown in fig. 2 and 3) arranged on the

frame walls

31, 32 corresponding to the

grooves

310, 320, the snap-in of the contact insert 4 with the holding frame 3 can be established in the following manner: snap-locking the protruding

elements

420, 421 in the corresponding

recesses

310, 320.

Fastening points 330, 331, 340, 341 are provided on the end-

side wall parts

33, 34, which serve to fasten the holding frame 3 to the housing 10 of the plug connector part 1 and can fasten the holding frame 3, which is provided with the contact insert 4, to the housing 10, for example, by means of a suitable screw connection.

Connecting means 332, 342 are also provided on the end-

side wall elements

33, 34, by means of which, for example, a neutral line (so-called protective earth contact) can be connected to the holding frame 3 and, when the plug connector part 1 is connected to the mating plug connector part 2, an earth connection is formed between the plug connector part 1 and the mating plug connector part 2.

In the embodiment of the contact insert 4 shown in fig. 4 to 8A, 8B, the projecting

elements

420, 421 are adjustable in a resilient manner relative to the housing body 42 of the contact insert 4. Each projecting

element

420, 421 is formed on a respective carriage element 43, wherein these projecting

elements

420, 421 project outwardly from the housing body 42 on opposite sides and serve to snap into corresponding recesses 320, 321 on the

lateral frame walls

31, 32 of the holding frame 3, as described above in connection with fig. 1 to 3.

Each carriage element 43 has a body 430 from which guide pins 431, 432 project towards different sides. By means of these guide pins 431, 432, the carriage element 43 is displaceably guided on the

guide grooves

440, 442 within the corresponding guide rail 44 of the housing body 42 in the insertion direction E and is elastically pretensioned by means of the spring element 45 relative to the housing body 42.

Each

guide pin

431, 432 snaps into a dedicated

corresponding guide groove

440, 442 on the opposite side of the guide rail 44, so that the carriage element 43 is guided on the housing body 42 in the insertion direction E. The

guide grooves

440, 442 each have a

recess

441, 443 on the outer edge, which enables the respective slide element 43 to be inserted into the

guide groove

440, 442 in order to mount the contact insert 4. In the inserted position, the carriage element 43 is guided in a sliding manner on the

guide grooves

440, 442.

A support member 433 projects inwardly from the body 430 of each carriage member 43. As shown in fig. 7B and 8B, the respective spring element 45 is supported on the carriage element 43 by means of a support element 433, wherein the respective spring element 45 extends between the support element 433 on the carriage element 43 and the bottom 446 of the tensioning receptacle 444 of the housing body 42. The spring element 45 is cage-received in the tensioning reception 444 and is secured on the bottom 446 by a securing pin 447.

By means of the corresponding spring element 45, each carriage element 43 is elastically pretensioned against the housing body 42 counter to the insertion direction E. The adjustment path of the carriage element 43 counter to the insertion direction E is limited by a stop element 445 at the end of the guide groove 442 corresponding to the guide pin 431.

In the starting position shown in fig. 4 and 6 to 8A, 8B, each carriage element 43 is pressed by the respective spring element 45 against the stop element 445 on the respective guide groove 442 and, for the purpose of changing the orientation, can be moved in the insertion direction E away from the stop element 445 counter to the spring bias of the spring element 45.

By means of the slide elements 43, the projecting

elements

420, 421 can be changed in their orientation independently of one another relative to the housing body 42 of the contact insert 4, so that tolerances in the orientation of the contact insert 4, of the holding frame 3 and of the holding frame 3 within the housing 10 of the corresponding plug-in connector part 1 can be compensated flexibly.

A plug-in part 40 is formed on the housing body 42 of the contact insert 4 shown in fig. 4 to 8A, 8B, by means of which plug-in connection of the contact insert 4 with the corresponding mating connector part 2 is possible with the contact insert 4 being attached to the holding frame 3 together with the other contact inserts 4 and being accommodated by the holding frame 3 inside the housing 10 of the plug-in connector part 1. One or more electrical, optical or other contact elements (also in the form of plug-in connectors) can be arranged on the housing body 42, so that the plug-in surface of the contact elements is realized on the holding frame 3 by the combination of the contact inserts 4.

The inventive concept is not limited to the embodiments described above but can also be implemented in a completely different way.

One or more contact inserts of the same or different types can be accommodated on a holding frame, so that the desired arrangement of the contact elements can be achieved by a combination of modular contact inserts. Such a holding frame can be mounted in the housing of the plug connector part together with the contact inserts arranged thereon, so that a plug connector configured in a desired manner is obtained.

Description of the reference numerals

1-plug connector part

10 casing

11 line

110 conductor

2-pair mating-plug connector parts

20 casing

3 holding frame

30 opening

300 slot

31. 32 frame wall

310. 320 groove

33 wall parts

330. 331 fixed point

332 contact device

34 wall component

340. 341 fixed point

342 contact device

4 Modular contact insert

40 socket (interface)

400 contact element

41 socket

42 housing body

420. 421 projecting element

43 slide element

430 body

431. 432 guide pin

433 supporting member

44 guide rail

440 guide groove

441 notch

442 guide groove

443 recess

444 tensioning accommodation

445 stop element

446 bottom

447 fixed pin

45 spring element

Width of A1 and A2

B width direction

E direction of insertion

Depth direction of Q

Claims

1. Assembly of a plug connector part (1), comprising: a holding frame (3) having several frame walls (31, 32) and frame openings (30) limited by the frame walls (31, 32) for accommodating a plurality of modular contact inserts (4) on a plurality of slots (300) arranged one behind the other in the width direction (B); and at least one modular contact insert (4) which can be inserted into the frame opening (30) on at least one insertion slot (300) and has a housing body (42) with projecting elements (420, 421) arranged thereon for snapping into corresponding recesses (310, 320) in the frame walls (31, 32) of the holding frame (3), characterized in that the at least one modular contact insert (4) has two slide elements (43) which are guided displaceably on opposite sides on the housing body (42), the projecting elements (420, 421) being arranged in each case on one of the slide elements.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the carriage element (43) is movably guided on the housing body (42) by snapping guide pins (431, 432) into corresponding guide slots (440, 442).

3. The assembly according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the at least one contact insert (4) is insertable into the holding frame (3) along an insertion direction (E), wherein the slide element (43) is movable on the housing body (42) along the insertion direction (E).

4. Assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that the carriage element (43) is elastically pretensioned in the insertion direction (E) relative to the housing body (42) by means of a spring element (45).

5. Assembly according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the housing body (42) has at least one stop element (445) for limiting a movement of the slide element (43) relative to the housing body (42) in the insertion direction (E).

6. Assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the carriage elements (43) are movable on the housing body (42) independently of each other.

7. Assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the mutually opposite frame walls (31, 32) of the holding frame (3) have one recess (310, 320) for each socket (300).

8. Assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that the respective grooves (310, 320) of the opposite frame walls (31, 32) corresponding to one slot (300) have different widths (A1, A2) as seen in the width direction (B).

9. The assembly according to claim 8, characterized in that each groove (310, 320) corresponds to one projecting element (420, 421) of considerable width (A1, A2) on the housing body (42).

10. Assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one contact insert (4) has a plug-in connection (40) for a plug-in connection with a mating plug-in connector part (2).

11. The assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one contact insert (4) has at least one electrical contact element (400).

12. Plug connector part (1) having an assembly according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the plug connector part (1) has a housing (10) on which the holding frame (3) is fixed.