CN212908261U

CN212908261U - Holding frame and plug connector with such a holding frame

Info

Publication number: CN212908261U
Application number: CN202020293675.0U
Authority: CN
Inventors: 卢卡斯·布里洛; 曼纽尔·通克尔
Original assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Phoenix Contact GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2019-03-11
Filing date: 2020-03-11
Publication date: 2021-04-06
Anticipated expiration: 2030-03-11
Also published as: CN111682348A; DE102019106093B4; DE102019106093A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a holding frame for receiving a contact insert, having a base frame with two opposite side walls and two opposite end walls, wherein the two side walls and the two end walls enclose an interior chamber of the base frame into which the contact insert can be introduced in an introduction direction, wherein the side walls each have an inner surface pointing in the direction of the interior chamber and each have an outer surface facing away from the interior chamber and each have a spring element which in the fixed state holds the contact insert introduced into the interior chamber of the base frame on the base frame, wherein the spring element is arranged in the fixed state on the side walls of the base frame and wherein the spring element is formed by a bent wire spring element, respectively.

Description

Holding frame and plug connector with such a holding frame

Technical Field

The utility model relates to a keep frame for plug connector for hold contact insert. Furthermore, the invention relates to a plug connector having a housing, a holding frame arranged in the housing and a plurality of contact inserts accommodated in the holding frame.

Background

Such a holding frame is used, for example, for modular use of contact inserts on plug connectors. 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 plug connector part or into the housing of the plug connector and connected to the housing. In this way, the contact inserts can be combined with one another in a modular manner and arranged in or on the plug connector via the retaining frame.

Such a contact insert may have, for example, one or more electrical contacts. In this case, the contact insert is connected on the one hand to the electrical line leading to the plug connector and on the other hand forms a plug contact, by means of which the plug connector can be brought into engagement with a mating plug connector for electrical contact.

Such a modular contact insert has the advantage of being flexible in combination, so that the plug connector can be used flexibly.

If the contact insert is attached to the holding frame, the contact insert must be held on the holding frame in order to be able to fix the holding frame together with the contact insert, for example, on the plug connector. In the holding frame known from DE 102012110907 a1, it is provided for this purpose that the second holding frame part can be attached to the first holding frame part, which has a recess for receiving the projecting element of the contact insert, in order in this way to lock the projecting element located in the recess and thus to the holding frame.

In the holding frame known from DE 202012103360U 1, two kinds of recesses are provided on the frame wall. The projecting element of the contact insert can be pushed in an engaging manner into a first recess on one upper edge of the frame wall, while the pin-shaped part of the contact insert can engage in a snap-fit manner with a second recess in the form of an opening.

SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL

It is an object of the invention to provide a holding frame which makes it possible to simply attach a contact insert to the holding frame and reliably lock the contact insert on the holding frame, while at the same time easily removing the contact insert from the holding frame.

According to the invention, this object is solved by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments and advantageous developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

The holding frame according to the invention has a base frame and a spring element arranged on the base frame. The base frame has two opposite side walls and two opposite end walls, which enclose an interior chamber of the base frame, into which the contact inserts can be introduced in an introduction direction, wherein the side walls each have an inner surface pointing in the direction of the interior chamber and each have an outer surface facing away from the interior chamber. The spring elements hold the contact inserts introduced into the interior chamber of the base frame on the base frame in the fixed state, wherein the spring elements are arranged on the side walls of the base frame in the fixed state, and wherein the spring elements are each formed by a bent wire spring element.

According to the invention, the contact insert is fixed in the holding frame by means of spring elements which are formed in each case by a wire by bending into a wire spring element. The wire is preferably made of a resilient material such as spring steel. The wire or wire spring element preferably has a circular cross-section so that it does not have any sharp edges or corners, which could damage the fixing frame and/or the contact insert, or it may be difficult to introduce the contact insert into the clamping position with the spring element. In addition, in contrast to spring elements stamped out of spring sheet metal, wire spring elements of this type can be produced simply and inexpensively by bending the wire accordingly to the desired shape. Two spring elements are preferably used for each contact insert used in order to be able to reliably fix the contact insert to the holding frame. The two spring elements are preferably arranged opposite one another on the holding frame. The contact insert is preferably fixed to the holding frame by latching lugs formed on the contact insert, which latching lugs in the fixed state are clamped between the respective spring element and one of the side walls of the base frame by means of the spring element. The spring element is preferably arranged on the base frame before the contact insert is introduced into the holding frame, so that when the contact insert is introduced into the holding frame, the contact insert is inserted with its latching lug and snaps into the free space formed between the spring element and the side wall. The free space is preferably formed by the upper edge of the side wall and the spring element, so that the free space can form a window-like opening, which can be defined by the upper edge of the side wall and the spring element.

The spring element is preferably arranged on the base frame in such a way that it surrounds the lower edge of the side wall. In this region, the spring element is preferably bent in such a way that it can surround the respective lower edge of the side wall on which it is located in a substantially U-shaped manner. By surrounding the lower edge of the base frame, the arrangement and thus the fixing of the spring element on the base frame can be achieved particularly reliably. The lower edge of the side wall is preferably an edge which extends in the longitudinal direction of the side wall and which, viewed in the introduction direction of the contact insert, is arranged below the upper edge of the side wall which extends parallel to the lower edge.

In order to be able to further improve the fastening of the spring element to the side wall of the base frame, an undercut can be formed on the side wall, on which undercut the spring element can be hooked from behind in the fastened state. By hooking the spring elements on the undercuts, respectively, an unintentional release of the spring elements from the base frame can be prevented. An undercut is preferably assigned to each spring element. The undercut may be formed on an inner or outer surface of the side wall, corresponding to the arrangement of the spring element on the side wall. The undercut may be formed by a free cut on the sidewall. The undercut may be formed as a pin. The pin-shaped configuration may have a cross-sectional shape that is polygonal or circular. The spring element can preferably hook into the undercut in such a way that the spring element surrounds the respective undercut in the secured state.

The spring element can preferably be designed such that it has a first retaining region and a second retaining region, respectively, wherein the contact insert is fixed in the fixed state to the base frame by means of the first retaining region, and wherein the spring element is fixed in the fixed state directly to the base frame by means of the second retaining region. Each spring element therefore preferably has two holding regions, which are separate from one another and have different functions. The first holding region can be used to fix the contact insert on the respective side wall, and the second holding region is used to fix the spring element itself on the side wall. The first retaining region can be formed together with the upper edge of the side wall and define a free space into which the contact insert can be snapped by its latching lug. The first holding region is preferably formed on the spring element opposite the second holding region, so that the first holding region can form a first end of the spring element and the second holding region can form an opposite second end of the spring element.

The second retaining region can preferably be formed for direct fastening to the base frame in such a way that the spring element can surround the lower edge of the respective side wall with its second retaining region and can hook over one of the undercuts from behind.

It can be further provided that the first and second holding regions of the spring element are bent out of a plane spanned by the respective spring element, wherein the first and second holding regions of the spring element can preferably be bent out of the plane in the same direction. The function of the holding region can be improved by bending the holding region out of the main plane of extension of the respective spring element.

In order to improve the stability of the holding region, the spring element can be formed in a U-shaped bend in the first holding region and/or the second holding region. If the first holding region is formed as a U-bend, in the secured state, the lower edge of the U, which points in the direction of the second holding region, can press onto the corresponding latching lug of the contact insert in order to secure the latching lug of the contact insert relative to the side wall, in particular relative to the upper edge of the side wall of the base frame. If the second holding region is formed as a U-shaped bend, the second holding region can enclose a corresponding undercut on the side wall of the base frame in its U-shape in order to hook behind the undercut.

In order to be able to achieve a defined positioning of the spring element on the respective side wall of the base frame, a guide groove can be formed on the side wall, which guide groove preferably extends in the introduction direction, wherein the spring element can be inserted into the guide groove at least in regions in the fixed state. The guide groove therefore preferably extends transversely to the longitudinal extension of the side wall of the base frame. The guide groove is preferably formed deep enough so that the inserted spring element does not protrude from the guide groove. It is thereby achieved that the spring element does not protrude from the side wall and, as a result, the spring element does not increase the space requirement of the retaining frame in the housing of the plug connector. The spring element is preferably inserted into the guide groove with its central region formed between the first retaining region and the second retaining region. The central region can have two webs of the wire spring element which extend parallel to one another, wherein the two webs can each be inserted into a guide groove. For each spring element, two guide grooves running parallel to one another can thus be provided on the respective side wall.

In the secured state, the spring element may be arranged on an outer surface of the side wall.

Alternatively, it can be provided that the spring element can be arranged on the inner surface of the side wall in the fixed state.

In order to be able to guide the contact insert in a defined manner in a precise position when it is introduced into the holding frame, it is possible to form tabs on the side walls, which tabs can project from the upper edge of the side walls, wherein in the secured state the spring elements can each extend into the region between two such tabs. These webs can realize a lateral support of the spring element and of the contact insert.

In order to increase the spring action, the side walls can be formed to be elastically deformable in the spring element arrangement region. Thereby, in addition to the spring elements, a spring action can also be achieved by the base frame. In the region of the spring element arrangement, the side wall can therefore be elastic in regions, so that it can be deformed within defined limits. The deformation elasticity of the side walls can be achieved, for example, by reducing the material in the corresponding regions of the side walls. It is particularly advantageous if the spring element is in contact with the inner surface of the side wall in the fixed state, the side wall being designed to be regionally elastically deformable.

Preferably, slit-shaped notches may be formed in the side walls to provide deformation elasticity. A slit-shaped indentation may be formed in the extension of the guide groove on the side wall. The slot-shaped indentation is preferably formed adjacent to the upper edge of the side wall.

The object is also achieved according to the invention by a plug connector having a housing, a holding frame arranged in the housing and a plurality of contact inserts accommodated in the holding frame, wherein the holding frame is designed and expanded as described above.

Drawings

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings according to preferred embodiments.

In the figure:

figure 1 shows a schematic view of a holding frame according to the invention with inserted contact inserts,

figure 2 shows a schematic view of the spring element shown in figure 1,

figure 3 shows a schematic view of the basic frame shown in figure 1,

fig. 4 shows a schematic view of the basic frame shown in fig. 1, on which the spring elements are arranged,

fig. 5 shows a schematic top view of the holding frame shown in fig. 1, with inserted contact inserts,

figure 6 shows a schematic view of another holding frame according to the invention with inserted contact inserts,

figure 7 shows a schematic view of the spring element shown in figure 6,

figure 8 shows a schematic view of the base frame shown in figure 6,

fig. 9 shows a schematic view of the basic frame shown in fig. 6, on which the spring elements are arranged,

fig. 10 shows a schematic top view of the holding frame shown in fig. 6 with an inserted contact insert.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a holding frame 100 for a plug connector, which can be inserted into a housing of the plug connector.

The holding frame 100 has a base frame 110 with two

opposite side walls

111, 112 and two

opposite end walls

113, 114. The

side walls

111, 112 are arranged at right angles to the

end walls

113, 114. The base frame 110 has an interior chamber 115 that is defined or enclosed by two

side walls

111, 112 and two

end walls

113, 114. The contact insert 200 is introduced into the inner chamber 115 of the base frame 110 by introducing the contact insert 200 into the base frame 110 in the introduction direction R and thus into the inner chamber 115.

In order to fix the contact insert 200 introduced into the base frame 110 on the base frame 110, the holding frame 100 has a plurality of spring elements 116 which are arranged in the fixed state as shown in fig. 1 on the base frame 110, in particular on the

side walls

111, 112 of the base frame 110. For each contact insert 200, two spring elements 116 are provided, wherein a latching lug 210 formed on the contact insert 200 can be clamped by the spring elements 116 against the base frame 110, in particular against the

side walls

111, 112 of the base frame 110, in order to fix the contact insert 200 on the base frame 110.

Fig. 2 shows the corresponding spring element 116 shown separately. The spring element 116 is formed by a bent wire spring element. By forming the spring element 116 from a wire, the spring element 116 has a circular cross-section.

The spring element 116 has a central region 117 and a first holding region 118 and a second holding region 119. The central region 117 is formed between two holding

regions

118, 119. The central region 117 is formed by two

tabs

120, 121 arranged parallel to each other. The two

webs

120, 121 form the longitudinal faces of the spring element 116. The two holding

regions

118, 119 form end faces of the spring element 116 which are arranged transversely to the longitudinal plane.

As shown in fig. 1, the first holding region 118 serves to fix the contact insert 200 on the base frame 110 in the fixed state. The spring element 116 is arranged on the base frame 110 in such a way that a free space 123 in the form of a window-like opening is formed between the upper edge 122 of the

side walls

111, 112 of the base frame 110 and the first retaining region 118 of the spring element 116, into which the latching lug 210 of the contact insert 200 can be snapped in and can be fixed. The spring element 116 with its first retaining region 118 can hold the contact insert 200 in place by the latching lug 210, so that the latching lug 210 can rest on the upper edge 122 of the side wall 111. Here, the first holding region 118 has a U-shape which is bent in the direction of the latching lug 210, so that the lower edge 124 of the U-shape or first holding region 118 which points in the direction of the second holding region 119 rests on the latching lug 210 and the latching lug 210 rests on the upper edge 122 of the side wall 111.

The second holding region 119 serves to fix the spring element 116 directly to the base frame 110 by the second holding region 119 directly resting against the base frame 110 and being fixed thereto. For this purpose, the second retaining region 119 may be formed such that it surrounds the lower edge 125 of the

side walls

111, 112. The second retaining region 119 also has a U-shape. In the region of the second holding region 119, the spring element 116 is opened such that the two ends 126, 127 of the wire forming the spring element 116 are opposite one another.

As can be seen in particular in fig. 3 and 4, undercuts 128 are formed on both

side walls

111, 112, on which undercuts 128 the spring element 116 can hook in the secured state. An undercut 128 is assigned to each spring element 116. As can be seen in fig. 4, the spring element 116 can be hooked with its second retaining region 119 behind the undercut 128, so that the U-shaped second retaining region 119 surrounds the undercut 128.

In the design shown in fig. 1 to 5, the undercut 128 is formed on the inner surface 129 of the

side walls

111, 112. The spring element 116 is arranged in the fastened state on an outer surface 130 of the

side walls

111, 112, wherein the second retaining region 119 of the spring element 116 surrounds the lower edges 125 of the

side walls

111, 112 in order to be able to hook behind an undercut 128 formed on the inner surface 129.

On the outer surface 130 of the

side walls

111, 112, guide grooves 131 are formed, which extend in the introduction direction R or transversely to the longitudinal extension of the

side walls

111, 112. The guide grooves 131 extend parallel to each other. Two guide grooves 131 are assigned to each spring element 116, wherein the spring element 116 is inserted with the two

tabs

120, 121 of its central region 117 into the guide grooves 131. The two holding

regions

118, 119 are arranged outside the guide groove 131.

The spring element 116 is not arranged completely in the plane E, but the first holding region 118 and the second holding region 119 are bent out of the plane E spanned by the spring element 116. In contrast, the central region 117 of the spring element 116 lies in the spanned plane E. Here, the first holding region 118 and the second holding region 119 are both bent out of the plane E in the same direction. The two holding

regions

118, 119 are bent out of the plane E in such a way that they are bent in the fixed state in the direction of the interior 115 of the base frame 110 or project in the direction of the interior 115 of the base frame 110. By projecting in the direction of the interior chamber 115 of the base frame 110, both the abutment of the first retaining region 118 against the latching lug 210 of the contact insert 200 can be improved and the second retaining region 119 can be hooked better from behind into the undercut 128.

Tabs 132 are formed on the

side walls

111, 112 that protrude or extend beyond the upper edges 122 of the

side walls

111, 112. As can be seen in fig. 1 and 4, in the secured state, the spring elements 116 each extend into the region between two such webs 132. In the inserted state of the contact insert 200, the latching lugs 210 are also each positioned between two such webs 132, so that the webs 132 can laterally support the spring element 116 and thus the contact insert 200.

Fig. 5 shows a top view of the holding frame 100 shown in fig. 1, where it can be clearly seen that the first holding region 118 of the spring element 116 is curved in the direction of the inner chamber 115 of the base frame 110.

Fig. 6 to 10 show a further embodiment of a holding frame 100, which is similar to the embodiment shown in fig. 1 to 5. In the embodiment shown in fig. 6 to 10, however, the spring element 116 is not arranged on the outer surface 130 of the

side walls

111, 112, but rather the spring element 116 is arranged on the inner surface 129 of the

side walls

111, 112.

As can be seen in fig. 6, 8 and 9, guide grooves 131 are formed in the inner surfaces 129 of the

side walls

111, 112, in which the spring element 116 is inserted with the two

webs

120, 121 of its central region 117.

The undercut 128 is formed on the outer surface 130 of the

side walls

111, 112, so that the spring element 116 here surrounds the lower edges 125 of the

side walls

111, 112 from the inner surface 129 towards the outer surface 130 of the

side walls

111, 112.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 6 to 10, the spring element 116 is bent with its two holding

regions

118, 119 out of the plane E spanned by the spring element 116, so that the two holding

regions

118, 119 are bent away from the interior 115 of the base frame 110, so that the two holding

regions

118, 119 are directed away from the interior 115 of the base frame 110.

Since the spring element 116 in the embodiment shown in fig. 6 to 10 has a smaller spring action than in the embodiment shown in fig. 1 to 5, the

side walls

111, 112 are formed to be elastically deformable in the region of the arrangement of the spring element 116 in the embodiment shown in fig. 6 to 10.

Slit-like notches 133 are formed in the

side walls

111, 112 to provide the deformation elasticity. Slit-shaped notches 133 are formed in the extensions of the guide grooves 131 on the

side walls

111, 112 such that the slit-shaped notches 133 are connected to each guide groove 131. The slit-like notches 133 are formed adjacent to the upper edges 122 of the

side walls

111, 112. A slit-shaped recess 133 is formed adjacent to the tab 132.

Description of the reference numerals

100 holding frame

110 basic frame

111 side wall

112 side wall

113 end wall

114 end wall

115 internal chamber

116 spring element

117 central region

118 first holding area

119 second holding area

120 contact piece

121 tab

122 upper edge

123 free space

124 lower edge

125 lower edge

126 end of the tube

127 end portion

128 undercut

129 inner surface

130 outer surface

131 guide groove

132 contact piece

133 gap

200 contact insert

210 latching lug

E plane

And R is introduced in the direction.

Claims

1. Holding frame (100) for a plug connector for receiving a contact insert (200),

the holding frame has a base frame (110) having two mutually opposite side walls (111, 112) and two mutually opposite end walls (113, 114), wherein the two side walls (111, 112) and the two end walls (113, 114) enclose an inner chamber (115) of the base frame (110) into which a contact insert (200) can be introduced in an introduction direction (R), wherein the side walls (111, 112) each have an inner surface (129) pointing in the direction of the inner chamber (115) and each have an outer surface (130) facing away from the inner chamber (115),

and the holding frame has a spring element (116) which holds a contact insert (200) introduced into the interior chamber (115) of the base frame (110) on the base frame (110) in a fixed state,

wherein the spring element (116) is arranged in a fixed state on a side wall (111, 112) of the base frame (110), and

wherein the spring elements (116) are each formed by a bent wire spring element.

2. The holding frame (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the spring element (116) surrounds the lower edge (125) of the side wall (111, 112).

3. The holding frame (100) according to claim 2, characterised in that undercuts (128) are formed on the side walls (111, 112), on which undercuts the spring element (116) hooks from behind in the secured state.

4. The holding frame (100) according to claim 3, characterised in that the spring elements (116) each have a first holding region (118) and a second holding region (119), wherein the contact insert (200) is fixed in the fixed state by the first holding region (118) to the base frame (110), and wherein the spring elements (116) are fixed in the fixed state directly to the base frame (110) by the second holding region (119).

5. The holding frame (100) according to claim 4, characterised in that the spring element (116) with its second holding region (119) surrounds the lower edge (125) of the respective side wall (111, 112) and hooks onto one of the undercuts (128) from behind.

6. The holding frame (100) according to claim 5, characterised in that the first holding region (118) and the second holding region (119) of the spring element (116) are bent out of a plane (E) spanned by the respective spring element (116), wherein the first holding region (118) and the second holding region (119) of the spring element (116) are bent out of the plane (E) in the same direction.

7. The holding frame (100) according to claim 4, characterised in that the spring element (116) is U-bent in the first holding region (118) and/or the second holding region (119).

8. The holding frame (100) according to claim 1, characterised in that guide grooves (131) are formed on the side walls (111, 112), which guide grooves extend in the introduction direction (R), wherein the spring element (116) is inserted at least regionally into the guide grooves (131) in the secured state.

9. The holding frame (100) according to claim 1, characterised in that the spring element (116) is arranged on the outer surface (130) of the side wall (111, 112) in the fixed state.

10. The holding frame (100) according to claim 1, characterised in that the spring element (116) is arranged on the inner surface (129) of the side wall (111, 112) in the fixed state.

11. The holding frame (100) according to claim 1, characterised in that tabs (132) are formed on the side walls (111, 112), which tabs protrude from the upper edges (122) of the side walls (111, 112), wherein in the secured state the spring elements (116) each extend into the region between two such tabs (132).

12. The holding frame (100) according to claim 1, characterised in that the side walls (111, 112) are formed elastically deformable in the region of the arrangement of the spring elements (116).

13. The holding frame (100) according to claim 12, characterised in that slot-shaped indentations (133) are formed in the side walls (111, 112) to form the deformation elasticity.

14. Plug connector having a housing, a holding frame (100) arranged in the housing and a plurality of contact inserts (200) accommodated in the holding frame (100), characterized in that the holding frame (100) is formed according to any one of claims 1 to 13.