EP3276755A1 - Plug part for a shielded plug-in unit - Google Patents

Abstract

A plug connection part for a shielded plug connection unit, which has an insulating body and a plurality of electrical plug contacts which are connected to electrical cable ends, wherein an electrical plug contact is designed as a protective conductor contact, and with an electrically conductive shielding, which surrounds the insulating body on the outside, is known.

According to the invention, the protective conductor contact is arranged centrally on the inside of the insulating body and surrounded on the outside by the other electrical plug contacts, and the protective conductor contact is electrically contacted by means of at least one electrically conductive radial web with the shielding jacket.

Use for energy and signal transmission in machines and plants.

Description

The invention relates to a plug connection part for a shielded plug connection unit which has an insulating body and a plurality of electrical plug contacts which are connected to electrical cable ends, wherein an electrical plug contact is designed as a protective conductor contact, as well as with an electrically conductive shielding, which surrounds the insulating body on the outside.

A multipolar connector unit is from the DE 10 2012 203 459 A1 known. The known connector unit has two mutually complementary connector parts. The two plug connection parts each have a monolithic insulating body, in each of which electrical plug contacts, including a protective conductor contact, are integrated. The two insulating body of the two connector parts are axially plugged into each other. The respective electrical plug contacts are firmly connected to corresponding cable ends of an electric cable. In order to secure the two connector parts in the assembled state against each other, a locking sleeve is additionally provided, which is held on one of the two connector parts and can be latched with an outer jacket of the other connector part.

To achieve an electromagnetic shielding of electrical cables shielded cables are used, the cable ends are connected to each other via shielded connector parts.

The object of the invention is to provide a connector part, a shielded connector unit and a locking sleeve of the type mentioned, which allow a simple and safe electromagnetic shielding.

This object is achieved for the connector part in that the protective conductor contact center is arranged inside the insulating body and surrounded by the other electrical plug contacts on the outside, and that the protective conductor contact is electrically contacted by means of at least one electrically conductive radial web to the shield. The central arrangement of the protective conductor contact is advantageous in electrical terms. The connection of the protective conductor contact via at least one electrically conductive radial web outwards to the shielding jacket ensures reliable grounding. The solution according to the invention is suitable for multipolar plug-in connection units for industrial cabling of machines and plants. Particularly advantageously, the connector part according to the invention can be used in conjunction with the shielded connector unit for three-phase AC systems.

The connector part and the corresponding connector unit are designed for the transmission of voltage up to 630 volts and currents up to 16 amperes. In a particularly advantageous manner, the plug connection part according to the invention is used for plug connection units which are used for power and signal transmission of machine tools.

In an embodiment of the invention, the at least one radial web is resiliently biased in the assembled operating state. The electrical contacting of the radial web is carried out only by mechanical contact with the protective conductor contact and the outside shielding. In order to ensure that this mechanical contact is permanently maintained, the elastic bias of the at least one radial web is provided.

In a further embodiment of the invention, a metallic leaf spring element is provided as a radial web. The metallic leaf spring element on the one hand has sufficient electrical conductivity. On the other hand, it allows a simple elastic preload.

In a further embodiment of the invention, a plurality of identically designed leaf spring elements are provided which - distributed over a circumference of the insulating body - protrude in different radial directions from the central protective conductor to the outside. Advantageously, three identically designed leaf spring elements are provided which protrude radially from the center conductor serving as a central protective conductor radially outward.

In a further embodiment of the invention, each leaf spring element has a U-shaped curved biasing portion and at its opposite ends each have a radially outwardly or inwardly projecting contacting. The curved biasing portion and the contacting portions adjoin each other as viewed along the length of the leaf spring member. The leaf spring element is made in one piece, including the biasing portion and the two contacting portions.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the insulating body has at least one radially extending receiving pocket, in which the leaf spring element is inserted. The insulating body is monolithic made of a suitable plastic material. The at least one radially extending receiving pocket is already formed in the production of the insulating body in the insulating body. The number of receiving pockets, which are provided in the insulating body, corresponds to the number of leaf spring elements which are inserted into the insulating body.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the receiving pocket is designed slit-shaped and has a receiving opening to the outside, which is dimensioned so that the leaf spring element with the biasing portion and the radially inwardly projecting Kontaktierabschnitt radially from the outside can be inserted, and the receiving pocket has inwardly a contact opening towards the protective conductor towards, which is tuned in its dimensioning on the inwardly projecting Kontaktierabschnitt. The outside receiving opening of the receiving pocket has a width which corresponds at least to the width of the U-shaped curved biasing portion of the leaf spring element, since the leaf spring element in the region of the biasing portion has the largest width. Since the inwardly projecting contacting portion protrudes radially inwardly relative to a corresponding U-leg of the biasing portion, the contact opening of the receiving pocket inwardly must have a substantially smaller width, which is adapted only to the dimensioning of the Kontaktierabschnittes.

For the shielded connector unit of the type mentioned with two mutually complementary connector parts, as well as with a locking sleeve which secures the connector parts in mated condition together, the underlying object of the invention is achieved in that the locking sleeve made of plastic and with an electrically conductive outer layer and is provided with an electrically conductive inner layer. The production of the locking sleeve made of plastic allows a simple and cost-effective production in large quantities. The coating of the locking sleeve inside and outside, each with an electrically conductive layer allows the desired shielding and the desired electrically conductive contact with the respective electrically conductive shielding shell of the two connector parts and consequently also with the respective protective conductor.

In an embodiment of the plug connection unit, the electrically conductive outer layer has a greater layer thickness than the electrically conductive inner layer. Characterized in that the electrically conductive inner layer has a lower layer thickness than the electrically conductive outer layer, a greater elasticity is given for inside functional sections of the locking sleeve, so that a functionality corresponding elastic functional sections on the inner surface of the locking sleeve is not or almost not impaired. A layer thickness of the outer layer is preferably in a range of 50 .mu.m to 150 .mu.m and a layer thickness of the inner layer in a range of 20 .mu.m to 50 .mu.m. A ratio between outside and inside layer thickness is preferably in the range between 2: 1 and 5: 1.

In a further embodiment of the invention, both the outer layer and the inner layer as galvanic coatings of an outer circumference and an inner circumference of Locking sleeve designed. Corresponding galvanic coatings are metallic and therefore electrically conductive.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the locking sleeve is provided on its inner circumference with at least one integrally formed, resiliently movable latching lug, which is coated with the electrically conductive inner layer. The integrally molded, resiliently movable locking lug provided an elastic functional portion of the locking sleeve, as described above.

For the locking sleeve of the type mentioned, the object underlying the invention is achieved in that the locking sleeve is provided with the features of at least one of the previously described embodiments or refinements. The locking sleeve can be manufactured as a separate component and mounted on a corresponding connector part of the connector unit. Such a locking sleeve is also disassembled from the respective connector part and therefore interchangeable.

Fig. 1

zeigt eine Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Steckverbindungsteiles in einer perspektivischen Explosionsdarstellung,

Fig. 2

in einem Längsschnitt das Steckverbindungsteil nach Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

einen gebrochenen Längsschnitt eines Isolierkörpers des Steckverbindungsteiles nach den Fig. 1 und 2 mit eingesteckten Blattfederelementen und mittig angeordnetem Schutzleiter,

Fig. 4

in perspektivischer Darstellung einen Teilbereich des Steckverbindungsteiles nach den Fig. 1 bis 3, der die Anordnung der drei Blattfederelemente zwischen den verschiedenen elektrischen Steckkontakten zeigt,

Fig. 5

die sternförmige Anordnung der Blattfederelemente relativ zu dem mittigen Schutzleiter und den den Schutzleiter außenseitig umgebenden, übrigen elektrischen Steckkontakten,

Fig. 6

eine gebrochene Längsschnittdarstellung des Isolierkörpers des Steckverbindungsteiles nach den Fig. 1 bis 5,

Fig. 7

in vergrößerter perspektivischer Darstellung eine Verriegelungshülse für das Steckverbindungsteil nach Fig. 1 und

Fig. 8

einen Längsschnitt durch die Verriegelungshülse gemäß Fig. 7.

Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the claims and from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, which is illustrated by the drawings.

Fig. 1

shows an embodiment of a plug connection part according to the invention in a perspective exploded view,

Fig. 2

in a longitudinal section of the connector part after Fig. 1 .

Fig. 3

a broken longitudinal section of an insulating body of the connector part after the Fig. 1 and 2 with inserted leaf spring elements and centrally arranged protective conductor,

Fig. 4

in perspective view a portion of the connector part after the Fig. 1 to 3 showing the arrangement of the three leaf spring elements between the various electrical plug contacts,

Fig. 5

the star-shaped arrangement of the leaf spring elements relative to the central protective conductor and the outer conductor surrounding the protective earth, remaining electrical plug contacts,

Fig. 6

a broken longitudinal sectional view of the insulating body of the connector part after the Fig. 1 to 5 .

Fig. 7

in an enlarged perspective view of a locking sleeve for the connector part after Fig. 1 and

Fig. 8

a longitudinal section through the locking sleeve according to Fig. 7 ,

A shielded connector unit according to the Fig. 1 to 8 a connector part 1, which will be described in more detail below. The plug connection unit also has an unillustrated, complementary plug connection part which is functionally identical in design to the plug connection part 1. Only the functional parts and sections relating to the plug function are complementary in the plug connection part, not shown, to the corresponding functional parts and sections of the plug connection part 1, to allow a secure axial nesting of the two connector parts and a secure electrical contact electrical plug contacts, which are - like the other functional parts and sections of the complementary connector part, designed so complementary that a female connector part 1 on the one hand and a male, not shown Plug connector part other hand. The following explanations therefore apply in the same way for the not shown, complementary connector part.

Each connector part 1 is connected to a respective cable end 2 of an electric cable having a plurality of cable strands 3, 4. A cable strand is formed by a protective conductor 3. In addition, a total of five more cable strands 4 are provided. The cable strands serve for signal transmission and energy transmission. If no signal transmission is required, the cable can also be provided only four-wire with four cable strands. The cable strands 4 of the cable end 2 are connected to electrical plug contacts 6, wherein the cable strands 4 are preferably connected to the electrical plug contacts 6 by crimping. The designated as PE conductor protective conductor 3 opens into a centrally arranged protective conductor contact 5, wherein a corresponding stripped cable strand of the protective conductor 3 is crimped in the same way with the protective conductor contact 5 as the cable strands 4 with the electrical plug contacts 6. The protective conductor contact 5 is identical like the plug contacts 6, but is arranged centrally between the plug contacts 6, which surround the central protective conductor contact 5 radially on the outside - seen in the circumferential direction.

The protective conductor contact 5 is positioned at least substantially coaxially to a central longitudinal axis M of the plug connection part 1. The terms radial and axial are each related to the central longitudinal axis M. On the support sleeve 9, a shrink tube piece 10 is also provided, which is designed as an adhesive shrink tubing and serves as an adhesion promoter. Instead of an adhesive hosiery hose, an adhesive application may also be provided.

Both the five electrical plug contacts 6 and the central protective conductor contact 5 are axially inserted into corresponding receptacles of a monolithic insulating body 7, which is made of a plastic material. The electrical plug contacts 6 as well as the protective conductor contact 5 are formed by corresponding metal sleeves.

On the monolithic insulating body 7, a carrier sleeve 9 is axially latched. Between the support sleeve 9 and an outer jacket of the insulating body 7, a sealing ring 11 is arranged ( Fig. 1 and 2 ).

The carrier sleeve 9 is galvanically coated to form part of an electrically conductive shielding jacket of the connector part 1. The support sleeve 9 as well as the cable end 2 is also associated with an electrically conductive shielding film 8, which surrounds the cable end 2 and the support sleeve 9 and thus the insulating body 7 at least partially. The electrically conductive shielding film 8 forms a further part of the electrically conductive shielding jacket. The support sleeve 9 is made of plastic and has by the galvanic coating on an electrically conductive surface both in the region of its inner circumference and in the region of its outer periphery. A layer thickness of the galvanic coating of the carrier sleeve 9 is executed the same inside and outside.

On the support sleeve 9, a locking sleeve 13 is movably supported, which is made of a plastic material and serves to lock the connector part 1 in mated condition with the complementary connector part and thus secure the connector part 1 against the complementary connector part axially. The locking sleeve 13 is made of plastic and has an electrically conductive surface both in the region of its inner circumference and in the region of its outer periphery by a galvanic coating, which will be discussed in more detail below. To fix the carrier sleeve 9 on the insulating body 7 mutually complementary male and female profiles 15 to 18 on the support sleeve 9 on the one hand and the outer jacket of the insulating body 7 on the other hand provided on the basis of Fig. 1 are recognizable.

In order to connect the protective conductor 3 with the electrically conductive shielding jacket, the insulating body 7 has distributed over its circumference a total of three slot-shaped receiving pockets 20 which extend in different radial planes relative to the central longitudinal axis M, and which are aligned in different directions to each other. Based on FIGS. 2 and 3 as well as on the basis of Fig. 6 is clearly seen that each of the three receiving pockets 20 axially to the central longitudinal axis M seen radially from the outside have a large length, which reduces radially inwardly to the protective conductor contact 5 stepwise. A width of each slot-shaped receiving pocket 20 is identical over an entire axial and radial extent of the receiving pocket 20. All three receiving pockets 20 are designed identically to each other and serve to receive in each case a leaf spring element 19, which is based on the Fig. 1 to 6 are clearly recognizable. Each leaf spring element 19 constitutes a one-part, electrically conductive component, in particular a metal component. Each leaf spring element 19 is preferably made of beryllium copper. Each leaf spring element 19 has a radially inwardly contacting portion 23 which is extended radially inwardly in the manner of a web relative to the central longitudinal axis M. At this contacting portion 23 includes a U-shaped biasing portion 22 which has an approximately semicircular curvature in the plane of the receiving pocket 20. The U-shaped biasing portion 22 has a radially inwardly U-leg and a radially outer U-leg, wherein the radially inwardly U-legs integrally connected to the inner contacting portion 23. The radially outer U-leg opens into a radially outer Kontaktierabschnitt 21 which is designed in the manner of a hook nose. The two contacting portions 21 and 23 as well as the biasing portion 22 are aligned in a common plane. The biasing portion 22 allows an elastically resilient mobility of its two U-legs, so that the leaf spring element 19 can be set by appropriate radial load from the inside and from the outside under bias.

Based on Fig. 2 to 6 It can be seen that the radially inner contacting sections 23 of the leaf spring elements 19 are in contact with an outer jacket of the protective conductor contact 5. As soon as the carrier sleeve 9 has been pushed and latched axially onto the insulating body 7, the radially outer contacting sections 21 with their hook noses also press against the galvanic coating of the inner circumference of the carrier sleeve 9 from the inside, so that between the outer jacket of the protective conductor contact 5, the leaf spring elements 19 and the carrier sleeve 9 results in an electrically conductive connection. The oblique in the direction of the support sleeve 9 edge contour of the hook noses of Kontaktierabschnitte 21 facilitates sliding along the carrier sleeve 9 on the hook noses. Based on FIGS. 2 and 3 It can be seen that the leaf spring elements 19 can be plugged into the receiving pockets 20 of the insulating body 7 in a simple manner from the outside. The receiving pockets 20 are already integrally formed together with the production of the monolithic insulating 7.

The configured as Hakennasen, radially outer Kontaktierabschnitte 21 project in the unloaded resting state of the leaf spring elements 19 slightly radially over an outer jacket of the insulating body 7. As soon as the carrier sleeve 9 is axially slid and latched onto the outer circumference of the insulating body 7, the outer contacting portions 21, designed as hook nose, are pressed radially inwardly, whereby the leaf spring elements 19 become biased. As a result, the inner Kontaktierabschnitte 23 are inevitably pressed radially inwardly against the outer periphery of the protective conductor contact 5, whereby a secure and permanent mechanical contact between the protective conductor contact 5 and the electrically conductive carrier sleeve 9 is provided.

In order to ensure that a desired shielding of the connector unit is maintained in the assembled state of the complementary connector parts 1, the connector unit is also associated with the locking sleeve 13, which is based on the FIGS. 7 and 8 is more clearly recognizable. The locking sleeve 13 is axially latched in the illustrated embodiment on the support sleeve 9 and limited rotatably held to the support sleeve 9.

The support sleeve 9 also has in the region of its plug-in receptacle a sealing ring 12, which ensures the seal with the complementary insulating body of the other connector part.

The locking sleeve 13 is provided on its inner circumference with two partially cut and therefore elastically movable locking lugs 14 which are integrally formed on the inner periphery of the locking sleeve 13. With reference to the drawings, only one locking lug 14 can be seen. Hereinafter, only the recognizable locking lug 14 will be described. For the other detent the same applies accordingly. The locking lug 14 is made together with the production of the locking sleeve 13 made of a suitable plastic material. The locking sleeve 13 is, as shown in the Fig. 8 is indicated, with an electrically conductive outer layer 24 and coated with an electrically conductive inner layer 25, wherein the electrically conductive inner layer 25 and the locking lug 14 covers. Both the inner layer 25 and the outer layer 24 have been created by a galvanic coating of the existing plastic locking sleeve 13. In this case, the inner layer 25 has a lower layer thickness than the outer layer 24. The lower layer provided with inner layer 25 is provided in order to maintain a sufficient elastic mobility of the locking lug 14. Since both the inner layer 25 and the outer layer 24 are metallic, an excessive layer thickness of the inner layer 25 would lead to a reduction or even a failure of the elastic mobility of the locking lug 14. By the opposite the layer thickness of the outer layer 24 reduced layer thickness of the inner layer 25, the desired elastic mobility of the locking lug 14 is ensured. The reduced layer thickness of the inner layer 25 is nevertheless sufficient to achieve the desired electrical conductivity of the locking sleeve 13 in order to continue the shielding of the connector unit also via the locking sleeve as a bridge between the two connector parts.

In the illustrated embodiment, the inner layer 25 over the entire inner circumference of the locking sleeve 13 has a uniform layer thickness. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention which is not illustrated, it is alternatively provided that the locking sleeve 13 has a reduced layer thickness only in the region of the elastically movable functional section on the inside, but has the same layer thickness in the remaining areas as the outer layer.

Claims (12)

Plug connection part (1) for a shielded plug connection unit which has an insulating body (7) and a plurality of electrical plug contacts (5, 6) which are connected to electrical cable ends (2 to 4), wherein an electrical plug contact is designed as a protective conductor contact (5), and with an electrically conductive shielding jacket which surrounds the insulating body (7) on the outside, characterized in that the protective conductor contact (5) is arranged centrally in the inside of the insulating body (7) and surrounded by the other electrical plug contacts (6) on the outside, and that Protective conductor contact (5) is electrically contacted by means of at least one electrically conductive radial web with the shielding. Plug connection part according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one radial web is resiliently biased in the assembled operating state. Plug connection part according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a metallic leaf spring element (19) is provided as the radial web. Plug connection part according to claim 3, characterized in that a plurality of identically designed leaf spring elements (19) are provided which - distributed over a circumference of the insulating body (7) - protrude in different radial directions from the central protective conductor (5) to the outside. Plug connection part according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each leaf spring element (19) has a U-shaped curved biasing portion (22) and at its opposite ends each having a radially outwardly or inwardly projecting contacting section (21, 23). Plug connection part according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the insulating body (7) has at least one radially extending receiving pocket (20) into which the leaf spring element (19) is inserted. Plug connection part according to claim 6, characterized in that the receiving pocket (20) is slot-shaped and has a receiving opening to the outside, which is dimensioned so that the leaf spring element (19) with the biasing portion (22) and the radially inwardly projecting contacting portion (23 ) is insertable radially from the outside, and that the receiving pocket (20) inwardly a contact opening to the protective conductor (5) out, which is matched in its dimensioning on the inwardly projecting contacting section (23). Shielded plug connection unit with two mutually complementary plug connection parts according to one of the preceding claims, and with a locking sleeve (13), which secures the plug connection parts together in a fitted state, characterized in that the locking sleeve (13) made of plastic and having an electrically conductive outer layer (24 ) and with an electrically conductive inner layer (25) is provided. Shielded plug connection unit according to claim 8, characterized in that the electrically conductive outer layer (24) has a greater layer thickness than the electrically conductive inner layer (25). Shielded plug connection unit according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that both the outer layer (24) and the inner layer (25) as a galvanic coatings of an outer periphery or an inner circumference of the locking sleeve (13) are designed. Shielded plug connection unit according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the locking sleeve (13) is provided on its inner circumference with at least one integrally formed, resiliently movable latching lug (14) which is coated with the electrically conductive inner layer. Locking sleeve for a shielded connector unit according to one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the locking sleeve (13) is provided with the characterizing features of at least one of these claims.

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