EP3734771B1 - Set of an electrical connector and a functional element - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a set of at least one plug connector of an electrical plug connection and at least one functional element according to the preamble of claim 1. In general, the invention relates to the field of electrical plug connections, in particular multi-pole electrical plug connections. It is known, for example B. from the DE 44 20 984 C2 that such electrical connectors can be designed to be coded, with coding elements being able to be fastened in profile grooves of the connector. From the DE 10 2011 051 567 A1 a plug connection arrangement with a coding element is known. From the DE 10 2015 115 612 A1 a connection terminal for connecting an electrical conductor is known. From the DE 10 2010 017 262 A1 a locking device and a connector plug with a locking device are known.

The invention is based on the object of further improving such electrical plug connections and their plug connectors with regard to universal applicability and flexibility for the user.

1. a) die erste Gehäusewand weist wenigstens ein erstes Befestigungselement zur Befestigung des Funktionselements am Gehäuse auf,
2. b) die dritte Gehäusewand weist wenigstens ein zweites Befestigungselement zur Befestigung des Funktionselements am Gehäuse auf.

This object is achieved by a set consisting of at least one electrical plug connection and at least one functional element according to claim 1. The plug connection has a plug connector and a mating plug connector assigned to the plug connector as a counterpart, to which the plug connector can be plugged in a plugging direction, the plug connector having a housing and a plurality of electrical plug contacts arranged at least partially in the housing, which are arranged next to one another in a rowing direction, wherein a first housing wall of the housing, which is parallel to one through the plugging direction and the The plane is arranged in the rowing direction, adjoins a second housing wall of the housing, wherein the normal of the second housing wall points approximately in the plug-in direction and is arranged at an angle to the first housing wall, and a third housing wall of the housing adjoins the second housing wall, which is arranged at an angle to the second housing wall , so that the second housing wall is arranged between the first and the third housing wall, with the following features:

1. a) the first housing wall has at least one first fastening element for fastening the functional element to the housing,
2. b) the third housing wall has at least one second fastening element for fastening the functional element to the housing.

This allows functional elements to be attached to the connector from different directions. It is also possible to increase the polarity of the connector coding.

The plug connector according to the invention gives the user the opportunity to equip the plug connector with one or more functional elements as required in a much more flexible manner compared to the prior art. The connector can therefore be customized to a much greater extent according to the customer's wishes or the wishes of the end user in individual cases, without this being associated with great effort. There are also manufacturing advantages because uniform connectors are provided for a variety of applications, which can be adapted by the customer or end user by attaching one or more functional elements to the first and/or second fastening element.

As mentioned, the normal of the second housing wall points at least approximately or exactly in the plug-in direction. This means that the second housing wall itself is also at least essentially aligned in the plug-in direction, with certain angular deviations from this being possible.

The first fastening element and/or the second fastening element can be designed as a positive fastening element, as a non-positive fastening element or as a combination thereof, that is to say as both a positive and non-positive fastening element. By means of the first fastening element and/or the second fastening element, a functional element can thus be fastened to the housing of the plug connector, in particular in the area of the first, second and/or third housing wall.

The first fastening element and/or the second fastening element can be designed as a recess in the respective housing wall (first or third housing wall), that is to say as an area that is lowered relative to the level of the surface of the housing wall, for example in the form of a blind hole, a receiving groove or another recording depth. The first fastening element can be designed the same as the second fastening element or different from it, that is to say the first and the second fastening element can each be designed separately from one another according to one of the previously explained embodiments.

As far as a first receiving groove is spoken of below, this describes an embodiment of the first fastening element in the form of a groove-like recess. As far as a second receiving groove is spoken of below, this describes an embodiment of the second fastening element in the form of a groove-like recess.

The first fastening element and/or the second fastening element can in particular be designed as a universal fastening element or as a universal fixing element for fixing a wide variety of functional elements that can be selected by the user. By arranging the first and second fastening elements in the area of the first, second and third housing walls arranged at an angle to one another, the different functional elements can accordingly be fixed in this area of the housing, thus in the vicinity of the plug-in face of the connector. As a plug-in face of one The connector is the area that points in the direction of insertion to the mating connector and is plugged together with the mating connector.

By providing fastening elements on different housing walls, a particularly reliable fixation of a functional element on the connector is possible.

The functional elements can be designed for different functions of the plug connector, for example as a coding element for coding the plug connection, as a locking element for locking the plug connector with the mating plug connector in order to avoid unintentional loosening, as labeling elements or as another functional element. In this context, coding means that a specific combination of coding elements is attached to the connector, which is assigned to a corresponding counter-coding on the mating connector, so that due to this coding, the connector can only be plugged into a corresponding counter-coded mating connector.

A further advantage of the invention is that the arrangement and position of functional elements attached to the first and/or the second fastening element is not permanently fixed, but can also be changed later if necessary. So can e.g. B. a recoding of the connector or a change in the locking type can be carried out subsequently.

As mentioned, the second housing wall has the property that it points in the plugging direction, so that it is visible when the plug connector is viewed from the mating face. The angle between the first housing wall and the second housing wall can be, for example, a right angle. Alternatively, other angles can also be realized, for example in the range from 45° to 135°. Accordingly, in such cases the second housing wall would be arranged obliquely to the first housing wall.

As mentioned, the third housing wall is arranged at an angle to the second housing wall, that is, there is an angle between the first and second housing walls available. This angle can be in the range from 45° to 135°, for example. The angle can in particular be a right angle. The third housing wall can be arranged parallel or at least approximately parallel to the first housing wall.

If, for example, the connector has a plurality of first fastening elements arranged next to one another in the rowing direction and/or a plurality of second fastening elements arranged next to one another in the rowing direction, functional elements can also be fastened across fastening elements, for example on two or more first fastening elements or on two or more second fastening elements. Depending on the design of the functional elements, they can also be fastened in combination to a first and a second fastening element, in particular if the first and the second fastening element are spatially assigned to one another, for example in that the first and the second fastening element are aligned with one another in the insertion direction or are at least arranged close to one another .

Several functional elements can also be attached to a first and/or second fastening element. For example, two functional elements can also be fastened there per pair of first and second fastening elements, for example one functional element on the first fastening element and one functional element on the second fastening element. In this way, the functional elements can support and secure each other.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that for one, several or all first fastening elements, the first fastening element is spatially assigned to a plug contact of the plug connector. This can e.g. B. can be realized in that a respective first fastening element is arranged in alignment with an electrical plug contact in the plugging direction, to which the first fastening element is assigned. This results in good utilization of installation space for attaching a large number of functional elements to the housing of the connector and thus a large number of possible combinations of the functional elements.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that for one, several or all second fastening elements, the second fastening element is spatially assigned to a plug contact of the plug connector. This can e.g. B. can be realized in that a respective second fastening element is arranged in alignment with an electrical plug contact to which the second fastening element is assigned in the plugging direction. This results in good utilization of installation space for attaching a large number of functional elements to the housing of the connector and thus a large number of possible combinations of the functional elements.

If a first and a second fastening element are spatially assigned to the same plug contact of the plug connector in the manner mentioned above, these fastening elements form first and second fastening elements assigned to one another.

Such mutually assigned first and second fastening elements allow particularly reliable fastening of the functional elements.

A first fastening element can be spatially assigned to a second fastening element, e.g. B. in that the first and second fastening elements, which are assigned to one another, are arranged close to one another. In the case of such mutually assigned first and second fastening elements, they can each have the same profile cross section or different profile cross sections, for example different widths or different depths or heights.

The housing of the plug connector can have conductor insertion openings for one, several or all plug contacts, through which electrical conductors (cables) to be connected to the plug contact can be guided through the housing to the plug contact. There can be one conductor insertion opening for each plug contact, or a combined conductor insertion opening for several plug contacts, also in combination with individual conductor insertion openings. The conductor entry openings are arranged on one side of the housing or on several sides of the housing that are not the side with the mating face of the connector.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that one, several or all plug contacts each have a connecting element for fastening an electrical conductor to the plug contact, with at least part of the connecting element being arranged in a base-shaped section of the housing, which extends towards the plug face through the second housing wall is limited. In this way, good use of space in the housing of the connector can be achieved. The connecting element can be, for example, a screw connecting element or a spring-clamp connecting element, for example in the form of a cage tension spring. The connecting elements of the plug connector can be designed the same or differently, for example according to one of the principles mentioned above.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the connector is composed of several parts from individual connector segments, each connector segment having its own housing and the housing of the connector being formed at least in part from the assembled housings of the connector segments. Here, the connector can have connector segments with their own housing, each of which has a first and a second fastening element, as explained above. The connector can also have connector segments with their own housing that does not have such fastening elements or only has a first or only a second fastening element of the type described above. In this way, the housing of the connector can be variably formed with different configurations of first and second fasteners as required by the user. In particular, the connector can be formed exclusively from connector segments, each with a first and a second fastening element. This results in a maximum choice for the user when attaching functional elements to the connector.

The embodiments of the invention explained below relate in particular to the case in which the first and/or second fastening element is designed as a receiving groove.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the first receiving groove intersects the plane of the outer surface of the second housing wall. The first receiving groove thus extends at least a little way into the material of the second housing wall. This allows particularly reliable fastening of functional elements in the first receiving groove.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the second receiving groove intersects the plane of the outer surface of the first housing wall. The material of the second receiving groove thus extends at least a little way into the material of the first housing wall. This allows particularly reliable fastening of functional elements in the second receiving groove.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the central axis of a first receiving groove runs skewed to a central axis of a second receiving groove. Accordingly, these central axes do not intersect. This applies in particular to first and second receiving grooves assigned to one another.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the first receiving groove is connected to the second receiving groove in an intersection area or is designed to be separate from the second receiving groove. If the first receiving groove is designed to be separate from the second receiving groove, then, for example, a separating web between the first and the second receiving groove can be formed by the material of the first housing wall and/or the second housing wall. If the first receiving groove has an intersection area with the second receiving groove, the first receiving groove merges into the second receiving groove. This creates an angular installation space in the corner area, ie in the intersection area of the first and second receiving grooves, which provides further advantageous fastening options for functional elements.

By connecting the first receiving groove with the second receiving groove, the advantageous possibility is created of mounting functional elements there from two directions, which can each use the connected installation space (angular installation space) and thus a part of the other adjacent receiving groove. By connecting the first receiving groove with the second receiving groove, e.g. B. the fixation of a functional element, which is mounted in the first receiving groove running in the insertion direction, extend outwards through the adjacent installation space and so z. B. enable an external coding element that is fixed on the inside and can be mounted in the plugging direction.

The second receiving groove can be used to advantageously fasten functional elements in particular, which extend with their fastening unit into the first receiving groove. The inclusion of functional elements such as locking units or locking lugs is particularly advantageous here. With the help of a support geometry on a functional element, it is then possible to absorb the torques acting on the second receiving groove during tensile stress by the support geometry reaching under the housing of the mating connector and thus preventing the functional element from being unscrewed.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that respective central planes of the first and second receiving grooves running in the longitudinal direction of the first and second receiving grooves are aligned coplanar or parallel to one another. As a result, a first receiving groove can be spatially assigned to a second receiving groove. The longitudinal direction of the first receiving groove is understood to be the direction in which the first receiving groove extends away from the second housing wall. The longitudinal direction of the second receiving groove is understood to be the direction in which the second receiving groove extends away from the first housing wall. The central plane of a respective receiving groove is understood to be a plane that runs perpendicular to the rowing direction and runs centrally through the respective receiving groove in its longitudinal direction. This allows additional advantageous fastening options for the functional elements on the first and second receiving grooves.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention it is provided that the second receiving groove is arranged in alignment with the first receiving groove. As a result, a first receiving groove can be spatially assigned to a second receiving groove. This allows further advantageous fastening options for the functional elements on the first and second receiving grooves.

For the purposes of the present invention, the indefinite term “a” is not to be understood as a numeral. For example, if we are talking about a component, this should be interpreted in the sense of “at least one component”. If angle information is given in degrees, these refer to a circular measure of 360 degrees (360°).

The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments using drawings.

Figur 1

einen Steckverbinder in perspektivischer Darstellung und

Figur 2

einen vergrößerten Ausschnitt aus Figur 1 und

Figur 3

einen weiter vergrößerten Ausschnitt aus Figur 2 und

Figur 4

den Steckverbinder gemäß Figur 1 in einer seitlichen Schnittansicht und

Figur 5

einen Steckverbinder mit daran befestigten Funktionselementen in perspektivischer Darstellung und

Figur 6

eine elektrische Steckverbindung in seitlicher Querschnittsansicht und

Figur 7

eine weitere elektrische Steckverbindung in seitlicher Querschnittsansicht und

Figur 8

einen Steckverbinder mit daran angebrachten Funktionselementen in perspektivischer Darstellung und

Figur 9

einen Steckverbinder in perspektivischer Darstellung und

Figur 10

den Steckverbinder gemäß Figur 9 in einer seitlichen Schnittansicht und

Figur 11

einen Steckverbinder in perspektivischer Darstellung und

Figur 12

den Steckverbinder gemäß Figur 11 in einer seitlichen Schnittansicht und

Figur 13

einen Steckverbinder in perspektivischer Darstellung und

Figur 14

den Steckverbinder gemäß Figur 13 in einer seitlichen Schnittansicht und

Figur 15

einen Steckverbinder in perspektivischer Darstellung und

Figur 16

eine elektrische Steckverbindung in seitlicher Querschnittsansicht und

Figur 17

die Steckverbindung gemäß Figur 16 in perspektivischer Darstellung.

Show it

Figure 1

a connector in a perspective view and

Figure 2

an enlarged section Figure 1 and

Figure 3

a further enlarged section Figure 2 and

Figure 4

the connector accordingly Figure 1 in a side sectional view and

Figure 5

a connector with functional elements attached to it in a perspective view and

Figure 6

an electrical plug connection in a side cross-sectional view and

Figure 7

another electrical plug connection in a side cross-sectional view and

Figure 8

a connector with functional elements attached to it in a perspective view and

Figure 9

a connector in a perspective view and

Figure 10

the connector accordingly Figure 9 in a side sectional view and

Figure 11

a connector in a perspective view and

Figure 12

the connector accordingly Figure 11 in a side sectional view and

Figure 13

a connector in a perspective view and

Figure 14

the connector accordingly Figure 13 in a side sectional view and

Figure 15

a connector in a perspective view and

Figure 16

an electrical plug connection in a side cross-sectional view and

Figure 17

the plug connection accordingly Figure 16 in perspective view.

They show Figures 1 to 14 embodiments not according to the invention. The Figures 15 to 17 show exemplary embodiments according to the invention.

1

Steckverbinder

2

Gehäuse des Steckverbinders

3

Abstufung

4

Steckgesicht

5

Gehäuse des Steckverbinder-Segments

6

Abschlussplatte

7

Verbindungselement

8

Funktionselement

9

Gegensteckverbinder

10

erste Gehäusewand

11

erstes Befestigungselement/erste Aufnahmenut

20

zweite Gehäusewand

21

zweites Befestigungselement/zweite Aufnahmenut

22

Verengungsstelle

23

dritte Gehäusewand

30

Schnittbereich

50

Kontaktöffnung

51

Leitereinführöffnung

70

Klemmfeder

71

Stromschiene

72

Steckkontakt

80

zweites Rastelement

81

erstes Rastelement

82

Rastarm

83

zweiter Befestigungsbereich

84

erster Befestigungsbereich

85

Betätiger

86

Verbindungsarm

87

Kodiernase

88

Kodierelement

90

Rastelement

91

Steckkontakt

92

Ausnehmung

A

Anreihrichtung

S

Steckrichtung

The reference symbols used in the figures have the following assignment:

1

Connectors

2

Connector housing

3

gradation

4

Plug face

5

Housing of the connector segment

6

End plate

7

connecting element

8th

functional element

9

Mating connector

10

first housing wall

11

first fastening element/first receiving groove

20

second housing wall

21

second fastening element/second receiving groove

22

narrowing point

23

third housing wall

30

Cutting area

50

Contact opening

51

Conductor entry opening

70

Clamping spring

71

busbar

72

Plug contact

80

second locking element

81

first locking element

82

Detent arm

83

second attachment area

84

first attachment area

85

Actuator

86

connecting arm

87

Coding nose

88

Coding element

90

Locking element

91

Plug contact

92

recess

A

Arranging direction

S

Plugging direction

The exemplary embodiments not according to the invention are first explained using the figures with reference to first and second fastening elements 11, 21, which are designed in the form of a groove, that is to say as a first receiving groove 11 and second receiving groove 21 ( Figures 1-14 ). Based on Figures 15 to 17 Embodiments of the first and second fastening elements 11, 21 according to the invention are explained, which are not designed in the form of grooves but in the form of receiving recesses. The general features of the plug connector 1 and the mating plug connector 9 described with reference to the figures, which are not specific to the embodiment of the first/or second fastening element 11, 21, are valid for all embodiments.

The Figure 1 shows a connector 1 which has a housing 2. The connector 1 is, for example, composed of several individual connector segments, each of which has its own housing 5. The connector segments or their housing 5 are arranged next to each other in a rowing direction A and fastened to one another, e.g. B. by locking together. The row of individual housings 5 is completed on one side by an end plate 6. Alternatively, the connector 1 can also be designed with a continuous housing 2. The end plate 6 is an optional component that is not required in all cases.

The rowing direction A defines in particular the arrangement in which electrical plug contacts of the plug connector 1 arranged in the housing 2 are arranged next to one another. In the in Figure 1 In the special exemplary embodiment shown with the several individual housings 5, this also corresponds to the direction in which the housings 5 are arranged.

The housing 2 has a gradation 3 which points in the plugging direction S. The gradation 3 is formed by adjacent housing walls, namely a first housing wall 10, which is arranged parallel to a plane spanned by the plug-in direction S and the rowing direction A, and a second housing wall 20, which adjoins the first housing wall 10. The second housing wall 20 also points in the insertion direction S and is arranged at an angle to the first housing wall 10, e.g. B. at a right angle. The second housing wall 20 is adjoined by a third housing wall 23, which is designed at an angle to the second housing wall 20 and can, for example, run parallel to the first housing wall 10.

In the in Figure 1 In the special embodiment shown with the individual housings 5, the first housing wall 10 is formed by respective individual first housing wall segments of the individual housings 5, the second housing wall 20 is formed by individual second housing wall segments of the housing 5.

The plug connector 1 or its housing 2 ends in the plug-in direction S with the plug-in face 4. From the side of the plug-in face 4, respective contact openings 50 lead to the electrical plug-in contacts of the plug-in connector 1 arranged in the housing 2.

The housing 2 has first receiving grooves 11 in the first housing wall 10 and second receiving grooves 21 in the second housing wall 20 for fastening functional elements. The first receiving grooves 11 run with their longitudinal direction in the plugging direction S. In this exemplary embodiment, the second receiving grooves 21 run with their longitudinal direction perpendicular to the plane spanned by the plugging direction S and the rowing direction A.

The Figure 2 shows an enlarged detail from the illustration to illustrate the first and second receiving grooves 11, 21 Figure 1 . It can be seen that the respective first receiving groove 11 merges into the respective assigned second receiving groove 21. This creates a cutting area 30 and thus an angular receiving space.

The Figure 3 shows an even greater enlargement of a section in which the arrangement of a first receiving groove 11 and a second receiving groove 21 assigned to it can be seen. Again, the cutting area 30 between the receiving grooves 11, 21 can be seen. In addition, it can be seen that the second receiving groove 21 can have a constriction point 22 at which the profile cross section of the second receiving groove 21 is reduced. This creates a stop by which the insertion depth of a functional element inserted into the second receiving groove 21 is limited. The first receiving groove 11 can be designed in a comparable manner with such a constriction point as the second receiving groove 21. In the insertion direction of the receiving groove 21, an undercut is provided on the opposite surface of the constriction point 22 which forms the stop. This undercut can form a locking element designed as a locking edge for a functional element 8 inserted in the receiving groove 1, wherein the functional element 8 can have a counter-locking element corresponding to the locking element of the guide groove 21.

In the sectional view of the Figure 4 an electrical plug contact 72 arranged in the housing 2 can be seen. Furthermore, elements of a contact insert can be seen, which serve to electrically and mechanically connect an electrical line, which can be inserted through a conductor insertion opening 51 of the housing 2, to the plug contact 72. The contact insert can in particular have a connecting element 7 with which the electrical conductor can be attached to the plug contact 72. An example is in the Figure 4 the design of the connecting element 7 is shown as a spring-loaded clamp connection. The spring-loaded clamp connection has a clamping spring 70, which is designed here as an example of a cage tension spring, and a busbar 71. The busbar 71 is connected to the plug-in contact 72 electrically connected. An electrical conductor can be clamped to the busbar 71 using the clamping spring 70.

The Figure 5 shows the connector according to Figure 1 , with two differently designed functional elements 8 being attached to the connector 1. The functional elements 8 are attached to the plug connector 1 by attaching them to the first receiving groove 11 and/or to the second receiving groove 21 with appropriately shaped fixing elements. The functional element 8 that can be seen further ahead is a first locking element 81 for locking the plug connector 1 with a mating plug connector. The functional element 8, which can be seen further back, is a second latching element 80 with a manual actuator, with which a latching can also be established with a mating connector and can be released again using the manual actuator. The further structure of the first locking element 81 is described using the sectional view 6 explained below, based on the sectional view of the Figure 7 the structure of the second locking element 80. The Figures 6 and 7 correspond to the representation of the Figure 4 , wherein in addition to the respective functional elements 8, a mating connector 9 is also shown, with which the connector 1 is plugged together. The mating connector 9 also has electrical plug contacts 91 and one or more locking elements 90.

Based on Figure 6 It can be seen that the first locking element 81 has a second fastening section 83 fastened in the second receiving groove 21 and a first fastening section 84 fastened in the first receiving groove 11. The fastening sections 83, 84 can be designed separately or, as shown, connected. The first locking element 81 is inserted into the second receiving groove 21 with the first fastening section 83 in a direction perpendicular to the plane formed by the rowing direction A and the insertion direction S. The second receiving groove 21 and the first fastening section 83 form a positive connection, for example in the manner of a dovetail guide. In the assembly position, the second fastening section 84 of the first latching element 81 forms a support for the first latching element 81 in the first receiving groove 11 as well as a support and/or support for the latching element or elements 90 of the mating connector 9. The first latching element 81 has a latching arm 82 projecting in the plugging direction S, which, together with the latching element 90, creates a latching between the plug connector 1 and the mating connector 9. Due to the latching, the plug connector 1 cannot easily be detached from the mating plug connector 9.

The recognizable fixation of the first locking element 81 via the angled fastening areas 83, 84 results in a particularly reliable fixation on the plug connector, since this provides a type of support geometry which absorbs the torques acting on the receiving grooves 11, 21 during tensile stress and so on Prevents the functional element 8 from being removed in the sense of being unscrewed. By resting the latching element 90 of the mating connector 9 on the second fastening section 84 of the first latching element, the first latching element 81 is also held securely in the receiving grooves 11, 21, in particular the first latching element 81 cannot slide out of the second receiving groove 21 against the insertion direction.

The Figure 7 again shows the connector 1, which is plugged together with the mating connector 9. The second latching element 80 can be seen, which, analogous to the previously described first latching element 81, in turn has the fastening areas 83, 84, which can be designed the same or at least similarly to the first latching element 81. The second latching element 80 also has a latching arm 82, which uses the locking element 90 to lock the connector 1 on the mating connector 9. In addition, the second latching element 80 has a manual actuator 85, which is connected to the latching arm 82 via a connecting arm 86. If the manual actuator 85 is pressed from above, the connecting arm 86 causes this movement to be redirected, so that the locking arm 82 is deflected upwards and is therefore no longer in engagement with the locking element 90. In this way, the connector 1 can be detached from the mating connector 9.

As the Figures 5 to 7 also show, a functional element 8 can only be attached to an arrangement of first receiving groove 11 and associated second receiving groove 21 be. A functional element 8 can additionally be attached to several first and second receiving grooves 11, 21. Alternatively, a functional element can also be attached to only one first receiving groove 11 or to several first receiving grooves 11, or to only one second receiving groove 21 or several second receiving grooves 21.

The Figure 8 shows a plug connector 1, with differently designed functional elements 8 being attached to the first and second receiving grooves 11, 21. In the Figure 8 Functional elements 8 shown as examples are coding elements 88 with which coding of the plug connector 1 can be realized.

In the Figure 8 It can be seen that the coding elements 88 in turn have a second fastening region 83 fastened in the second receiving groove 21 and an associated first fastening region 84 fastened in the first receiving groove 11. In this way, the previously explained effect of the support geometry and thus the reduction of the stress caused by torques is also realized. The coding elements 88 are advantageously inserted against the insertion direction S with a second fastening area 84 into the first receiving grooves 11, for example with a positive dovetail guide. The second fastening area 83 of the coding elements 88 is then supported in the second receiving grooves 21 in the assembly position. In addition, the coding elements 88 can rest and/or support themselves on the second housing wall 20 of the housing 2 of the plug connector of the housing 5 of the plug connector segment with a surface that recesses relative to the second fastening region 81. Here, the coding elements 88 can each have coding lugs 87 projecting in the insertion direction S, through which a first coding of a coding element 88 is created. A second coding of the coding element 88 can be created by the length of the first fastening areas 84. If the first fastening areas 84 are relatively long, e.g. B. over the entire longitudinal extent of the first receiving groove 11, they can cause a different coding than if they are designed to be correspondingly shorter, for example only over a quarter of the length of the first receiving groove 11. In a comparable manner, the length of the coding nose 87 can be designed differently , ie with a long coding nose 87 A different coding is achieved than with a correspondingly shorter coding nose or if the coding nose 87 is omitted.

In the embodiments described so far, the first receiving groove 11 and the second receiving groove 21, which are assigned to one another, were each designed in such a way that in the cutting region 30 one receiving groove ends at the groove base of the respective other receiving groove. However, such an embodiment is not mandatory. The first and/or the second receiving groove 11, 21 can also be extended further in this cutting area 30 so that it extends beyond the groove base of the respective assigned other receiving groove. In this way, a depression is formed in the groove base of the respective receiving groove running perpendicular thereto. Such a recess can be used to accommodate one end of a functional element. This end of the functional element can be received in the respective recess by latching (locking edges) and/or by clamping. In this way, extraction forces and/or torques acting on the functional element can be absorbed and neutralized.

Based on the following by the Figures 9 to 14 In the embodiments described, such configurations of the cutting area 30 are explained in more detail by way of example.

In the embodiment of the Figures 9 and 10 the first receiving groove 11 extends beyond the groove base of the second receiving groove 21, that is to say the cutting area 30 is slightly extended counter to the insertion direction S and projects further into the material of the housing 2. In this way, a depression is formed in the groove base of the second receiving groove 21.

The Figures 11 and 12 show an embodiment in which the second receiving groove 21 is designed to be extended, that is, in the cutting area 30 it extends beyond the groove base of the first receiving groove 11. In this way, a depression is formed in the groove base of the first receiving groove 11.

The Figures 13 and 14 show an embodiment in which the respectively extended first and second receiving grooves 11, 12, as shown in FIG Figures 9 to 12 have been described, are implemented in combination with each other. The first receiving groove 11 thus extends beyond the groove base of the second receiving groove 21 in the cutting area 30. The second receiving groove 21 extends in the cutting area 30 beyond the groove base of the first receiving groove 11. In this way, depressions are formed both in the groove base of the first receiving groove 11 and in the groove base of the second receiving groove 21.

The Figure 15 shows the design of the first and second fastening elements 11, 21 in the form of receiving recesses into which corresponding projecting fastening areas 83, 84 of functional elements 8 can be fastened by inserting them. Here, the first fastening elements 11 are each designed as a recess in the first housing wall 10, the special case being shown in which the first fastening elements 11 are arranged at the transition from the first housing wall 10 to the second housing wall 20. It would also be possible to design the first fastening elements 11 at a distance from the second housing wall 20 as depressions in the first housing wall 10. The second fastening elements 21 are designed as recesses in the third housing wall 23.

The Figure 16 illustrates the attachment of a functional element 8 in the form of a first locking element 81, which is comparable in terms of its locking arm 82 to the first locking element 81 in the embodiment of Figure 6 can be trained. The first locking element 81 differs from this in the design of its first fastening area 84 and its second fastening area 83. The first fastening area 84 is designed as an angled arm which extends over a part of the third housing wall 23 and has an angled end area in the second, which is designed as a receiving recess Fastening element 21 engages. The second fastening region 83 is designed as an extension running essentially parallel to the second housing wall 20, which engages with an end region in the first fastening element 11 designed as a receiving recess. For this purpose, the second fastening area 83 can be designed with a locking hook at the end.

The Figure 17 shows the attachment of two functional elements 8 according to the Figure 16 described embodiment in corresponding first and second fastening elements 11, 21 of the connector 1. The functional elements 8 each engage behind a locking edge of the locking element 90 of the mating connector 9 with their locking arm 82.

In this exemplary embodiment, on the housing of the mating connector 9, corresponding recesses 92 are provided on the plug-in side on the front edge of the fastening elements 11 on the plug-in connector 1, which are aligned with the fastening elements 11. When a functional element 8 is assembled, the recesses 92 are penetrated by the fastening area 83 of the functional element 8. As an alternative to the recesses 92, at least the end edge of the housing of the mating connector 9 facing the fastening elements 11, 21 can be set back relative to the second housing wall 20 when the connector 1 and mating connector 9 are plugged in. This creates a free space between the mating connector 9 and the second housing wall 20 for the passage of the functional elements.

Claims (7)

1. Set comprising at least one electrical plug-in connection and at least one functional element (8), the plug-in connection having a plug-in connector (1) and a mating plug-in connector (9) which is assigned to the plug-in connector (1) as a mating piece and to which the plug-in connector (1) can be plugged in a plug-in direction (S), the plug-in connector (1) having a housing (2) and a plurality of electrical plug contacts (72) which are arranged at least partially in the housing (2) and which are arranged next to one another in a row direction (A), wherein a first housing wall (10) of the housing (2), which is arranged parallel to a plane spanned by the plug-in direction (S) and the row direction (A), adjoins a second housing wall (20) of the housing (2), the normal of the second housing wall pointing approximately in the plug-in direction (S) and being arranged at an angle to the first housing wall (10), and adjoining the second housing wall (20) is a third housing wall (23) of the housing (2), which is arranged at an angle to the second housing wall (20), so that the second housing wall (20) is arranged between the first and the third housing wall, having the following features:

   a) the first housing wall (10) has at least one first fastening element (11) for fastening the functional element (8) to the housing (2),

   b) the third housing wall (23) has at least one second fastening element (21) for fastening the functional element (8) to the housing (2),

   characterized in that the first and the second fastening element (11, 21) are designed as a receiving recess, it being possible for the functional element (8) which can be fastened to the housing (2) to be secured to the first and the second fastening element (11, 21), the functional element (8) having at least one second projecting fastening region (83) which can be fastened to the first fastening element (11) and a first projecting fastening region (84) which can be fastened to the second fastening element (21).
2. Set according to claim 1, characterized in that the second housing wall (20) is arranged at right angles to the first housing wall (10).
3. Set according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the third housing wall (23) is arranged parallel to the first housing wall (10).
4. Set according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for one, several or all first fastening elements (11) it applies that the first fastening element (11) is spatially assigned to a respective plug contact (72) of the plug-in connector (1).
5. Set according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for one, several or all of the second fastening elements (21) it applies that the second fastening element (21) is spatially assigned to a respective plug contact (72) of the plug-in connector (1).
6. Set according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one, several or all of the plug contacts (72) each have a connecting element (7) for attaching an electrical conductor to the plug contact (72), at least part of the connecting element (7) being arranged in a socket-shaped section of the housing (2) which is bounded towards the plug face (4) by the second housing wall (20).
7. Set according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plug-in connector (1) is composed in multiple parts of individual connector segments, each connector segment having its own housing (5) and the housing (2) of the plug-in connector (1) being formed at least in part from the assembled housings (5) of the connector segments.

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