EP1965470B1 - Electric connector device for hermaphroditic contacts - Google Patents

Abstract

The contact (10) has a body extended by arms (10b-10c) with an elastic deformation capacity. Extremity sections (10b1, 10c1) of the arms are established under a harpoon form by constituting a hooking zone via notches (10b2) with a tip form of a conical configuration. The body has a cylindrical tubular extension (10d) to receive a denuded extremity of an electrical wire. The body has a ring (10e) with diameter that is higher than extension diameter. A connection ring has tubular cases around a channel to allow a metal-metal contact with the arms, where the cases are made of metallic material. An independent claim is also included for a tool for dismounting a hermaphroditic contact in an electric connector device.

Description

The invention relates to the technical field of electrical connection systems from hermaphroditic contacts.

The existence of this type of hermaphroditic contact has been known for many years and has been the subject, for example, of patents FR 2.290.056 and FR 2.611.318 , and their integration in contact blocks described also in the patents FR 2,212,076 and 2309060 , or GB 1097414 .

These inventions are well known to the applicant who exploits their characteristics.

This type of hermaphroditic contacts exploited by the applicant has thus been represented for the good understanding of the invention.

The figure 1 represents, according to the prior art, the hermaphrodite contact which thus comprises a body (1) partially hollow having, at the front end, two opposite and parallel branches (1a) between which it will be possible to introduce and engage the branches of another contact of the same type to do the link. The hollow body is capable of receiving the stripped portion of the electrical conductor, a ring (1b) is overmolded in the central part of the contact and has a shoulder (1b1) to be correctly positioned on the receiving ring (2) of a multitude of contacts of the aforementioned type constituting the connector device. The ring is thus arranged with a plurality of housings receiving the hermaphrodite contacts aforementioned, the housing being arranged with flats complementary to the configuration of the rings (1b) above.

The implementation of this type of hermaphroditic contacts widely exploited has a number of disadvantages.

First, a first drawback lies in the mounting of the contacts on the ring of the connector device. The installation is carried out as follows. The operator must pass the electrical wires (F) through each receiving opening formed in the ring (2) and overflow them on the other side with always the risk that the ends of the wires are released in the meantime, then strip each wire . The crimping (1c) of the body is then proceeded with, in principle, maintaining the wire or electrical cable in the contact, and finally repositioning the assembly in the ring. This implementation remains impractical, requires a relatively large clearance of the contacts relative to the ring to proceed one by one to different crimps depending on the number of contacts. This requires a certain skill for the introduction of contacts in their housing in the ring. In case of wiring error, no disassembly and change of contact position is possible without cutting the wires.
Another disadvantage also lies in the introduction of new standards, particularly in the railway field with respect to the requirement of using specific crimping pliers.

The applicant's approach was therefore to seek a new design of hermaphrodite contacts and corollary receptor connection rings to improve and facilitate the conditions and operations of mounting rings by reconsidering the operating phases of implementation in the connection ring.

At the same time, the applicant's approach has been to focus on improving and making easier the assembly and disassembly of the hermaphrodite contacts with respect to their support, namely the connecting ring.

Another object sought, according to the invention, was to improve the holding of the hermaphrodite contacts according to the invention.

All these steps and reflections resulted in the design of a new type of hermaphrodite contacts implementing differentiated mounting conditions on the connector ring under optimized conditions. These steps have also resulted in the implementation of internal fittings of the connecting ring, and also two simple tools for the introduction and removal of new hermaphroditic contacts of the connecting ring.

According to a first characteristic of the invention, the hermaphrodite contact for an electrical connector device of the type comprising a tubular body receiving at one of its ends the stripped portion of an electric wire and, in its median part, a positioning ring in a connecting ring and, in its front part, two branches parallel and spaced to receive, by coupling, a contact of the same type is remarkable in that the contact is made in the form of a single body in the same material comprising, in its central part, a positioning ring in the connecting ring, and arranged with a positioning and guiding flat, and in its front part, the body is extended by two branches having an elastic capacity of deformation at their end to be closer against each other in the operating phase of assembly, and in that the end profile of these branches is established under harpoon shape constituting an anchoring zone by notches with, at the end, a shape cone shaped nose, and in that in its rear part, the body of the contact has a cylindrical tubular extension receiving the stripped end of the electrical wire, and in that, at the rear end, the body has a ring of diameter greater than that of said intermediate extension.

• La figure 1 est une vue d'un contact hermaphrodite selon l'art antérieur.
• La figure 2 est une vue illustrant le montage du contact selon la figure 1 sur une bague connecteur avec opération de sertissage du câble.
• La figure 3 est une vue en perspective du contact hermaphrodite selon l'invention.
• La figure 4 est une vue de dessus dudit contact selon la figure 3.
• La figure 5 est une vue en coupe illustrant l'accouplement de deux contacts hermaphrodites selon l'invention.
• La figure 6 est une vue du détail (A) à grande échelle selon la figure 4.
• La figure 7 est une vue illustrant l'introduction du contact hermaphrodite à l'aide d'un outil spécifique dans la bague connecteur.
• La figure 8 est une vue de l'outil de démontage du contact.

To fix the object of the invention illustrated in a nonlimiting manner where:

• The figure 1 is a view of a hermaphrodite contact according to the prior art.
• The figure 2 is a view illustrating the fitting of the contact according to the figure 1 on a connector ring with crimping operation of the cable.
• The figure 3 is a perspective view of the hermaphrodite contact according to the invention.
• The figure 4 is a top view of said contact according to the figure 3 .
• The figure 5 is a sectional view illustrating the coupling of two hermaphrodite contacts according to the invention.
• The figure 6 is a detail view (A) on a large scale according to the figure 4 .
• The figure 7 is a view illustrating the introduction of the hermaphrodite contact using a specific tool in the connector ring.
• The figure 8 is a view of the contact disassembly tool.

In order to make the object of the invention more concrete, it is now described in a nonlimiting manner in the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the figure 3 the hermaphrodite contact according to the invention is referenced by (10). It is made in the form of a body single in the same material comprising, in its central part, a ring (10a) for positioning in the connection ring (11), and arranged with two flats (10a1) for positioning and guiding. In its front part, the body is extended by two branches (10b - 10c) identical and parallel to each other leaving a space (e) between them corresponding to their width to allow the establishment of a complementary contact in a hermaphrodite assembly. The two branches (10b - 10c) have an elastic capacity of deformation at their end to approach one another in the assembly operating phase. According to the invention, the end profile (10b1) (10c1) of these branches is established in the form of a harpoon thus constituting an anchoring zone by notches (10b2) (10c2) with, in the end, a shape in nose (10b3) (10c3) conical configuration.

In its rear part, the body (10) of the contact has a cylindrical tubular extension (10d) in which will be engaged the stripped end of the electric wire (F). At the rear end, the body has a ring (10e) of diameter greater than that of said intermediate extension (10d). The zone defined by said extension thus constitutes the crimping zone for connecting the electrical wire and the contact. This zone is thus suitably delimited and, after the crimping operation, the bulge obtained by the deformation of the material remains in the plane defined between the rings (10a) (10e) without overflow and thus without discomfort during assembly / disassembly.

By the new design of the contact, according to the invention, the crimping of the electric wire is carried out beforehand on the contact considered, and it is the assembly which is introduced from the rear into the ring (11) of connection.

The latter is arranged internally with a channel (11a) allowing the introduction of the contact (10) and then has an inner shoulder (11b) of larger section defining the support and centering zone of the contact attachment portion, then a cylindrical inner chamber (11c) of larger section. Thus, according to the invention, the channel (11a) has a diametrical section such that the introduction of the contact requires the approximation of the two branches (10b) (10c) by elastic deformation. When the introduction of the contact of the ring makes it possible to locate it at the level of the shoulder (11b), the two branches (10b) (10c) of the contact return to their initial position by elastic expansion and come, by their harpoon shape, hook on the shoulder (11b) while the nose-shaped end (10b3) (10c3) is in the chamber (11c) of larger section without outflanking the outside of the ring (11). The contact (10) according to the invention is therefore perfectly maintained. It is possible, to improve the resistance of the contacts in the ring, to provide the addition of tubular sheaths of metallic material around the channel (11a) to allow a metal / metal contact with the contact legs (10). These shirts are inserted during the manufacture of the ring (11). Their upper end edge, by their thickness, constitutes the support of the harpooned part of the contacts.

To allow and facilitate the assembly / disassembly of the contacts on the connection ring (11), the applicant has provided two specific tools one (P) for mounting and the other (O) for disassembly.
The tool (P) comprises a notched body (15) in which the contact and the wire are housed. The body is associated with a gripping means (16). The tapered end (15a) of the body is supported on the rear ring (10e) of the contact for insertion into the connecting ring, until introduction into the chamber (11c) of the ring (11). Tool (0) includes a tubular body (14) guided by a tube (13) with limited displacement capacity against an integrated return means. This body is associated with a gripping means (17). This tool (O) makes it possible to tighten the two branches (10b) (10c) by elastic deformation and thus release the notches of the harpoon forms established on said branches (10b) (10c) with respect to the shoulder (11b) and allowing then, without difficulty, the removal of the contact from behind.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5 , there is shown the assembly of a connection device arranged with connection rings complementary profile (11) and (17) but both including the particular configurations of housing hermaphroditic contacts described by the invention.

The solution provided by the applicant meets the needs at the origin of the invention. It is simple to implement and very convenient to use.

Claims (6)

1. Hermaphroditic contact for an electrical connector device of the type comprising a tubular body receiving via one of its ends the bare part of an electric flex (F) and, in its median part, a bush for positioning in a connection bush and, in its front part, two parallel branches spaced apart in order to receive, by coupling, a contact of the same type characterised in that the contact is made in the form of a single body out of the same material comprising, in its central part, a bush (10a) for positioning in the connection bush (11), and provided with two positioning and guiding flats (10a1), and in its front part, the body is extended by two branches (10b - 10c) having resilient deformation capacity at their end so they can draw closer against one another in the operating assembly phase,
   and in that the profile of ends (10b1) (10c1) of these branches is established in the form of a harpoon constituting an anchor zone via notches (10b2) (10c2) with, at the end, a conically-shaped nose form (10b3) (10c3),
   and in that in its rear part, the body (10) of the contact has a cylindrical tubular extension (10d) that receives the bare end of the electric flex (F), and in that, at the rear end, the body has a bush (10e) larger in diameter than said intermediate extension (10d).
2. Hermaphroditic contact, as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the zone defined by said extension constitutes the crimping zone for connecting the electric flex and the contact.
3. Electrical connector device including hermaphroditic contacts as claimed in any one of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that it comprises at least one connection bush (11) provided internally with a channel (11a) for introducing the contact (10) and then has an internal shoulder (11b) of larger cross-section defining the zone for supporting and centring the lock-on part of the contact, then an internal cylindrical chamber (11c) of larger cross-section.
4. Electrical connector device, as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the channel (11a) has a diametrical cross-section such that introducing the contact requires the two branches (10b) (10c) to be brought closer together by resilient deformation.
5. Electrical connector device, as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the bush has in the channel (11a) tubular sleeves made of a metallic material around the channel (11a) to allow a metal-to-metal contact with the contact branches (10),
   and in that these sleeves are inserted when the bush (11) is manufactured,
   and in that their upper end edge, by their thickness, constitutes the support of the harpooned part of the contacts.
6. Tool for disassembling the hermaphroditic contact in an electrical connector device of the type that implements the characteristics of claims 1 to 5 characterised in that it comprises a tubular body (14) guided by a tube (13) with limited capacity for movement against an integrated recall means;
   and in that the body is associated with a gripping means (17) and in that it allows the two branches (10b) (10c) to be tightened by resilient deformation thereby releasing the notches from the harpoon shapes on said branches (10b) (10c) relative to the shoulder (11b) and then allowing the contact to be removed via the rear.

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