JP2005302715A - Electric plug/socket connector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a plug/socket connector forming a connection capable of detaching between two plug elements through each short-circuited insertion. <P>SOLUTION: First holding means 10, 16, 17 are provided between a first plug element 2 and an insertion 3. And also, second holding means 18, 19, 47, 48 are provided between the insertion 3 and a second plug element 5. The first and the second plug elements 2, 5 are connected through an insulator 3 in this way. The second plug element 5 is equipped with a sliding element 26 having lock arms 30, 31 holding the first and the second holding means at a lock position when a plug/socket connector is locked. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrical plug and socket connector comprising two plug-in elements.

  Electrical plug and socket connectors, typically referred to as plug connectors, are used in a wide range of technical fields, particularly automotive engineering. The plug and socket connector is particularly suitable for connection to an airbag system in which an ignition device (igniter) is connected to a control line. When a collision is detected, an initiation current flows to the ignition device through the control line by the control device. When the initiation current is received, the ignition device inflates the airbag, thus protecting the passengers of the car.

  Patent Document 1 discloses an electrical connection system for an airbag composed of two elements. The first element comprises a pair of contact pins provided for electrical contact of the contact sleeve of the second element. Further, the short-circuit insert locked in the groove of the first element via the lock protrusion is inserted into the first component. The short-circuit insert comprises a short-circuit terminal that forms a conductive connection between the two contact pins of the first element as a plug-in function of the second element. The second element includes locking means that is locked in the groove of the first element and that is held in the locked position by the locking means of the second element in the locked position. For this reason, a reliable connection between the first and second elements is formed.

Patent document 2 is equipped with the electrical connection system which consists of two connection elements. The first connection element comprises a contact pin provided for electrical contact of the contact sleeve of the second connection element. A short-circuit plate that interlocks with the groove of the first connecting element via the locking projection is also inserted into the first connecting element. A short-circuit terminal that forms a conductive connection between the two plug-in contacts when the second connection element is not inserted is inserted into the short-circuit plate. The second connecting element comprises a locking hook that locks into the groove of the first connecting element and removably connects the two connecting elements. In the inserted state, the contact sleeve of the second connection element is inserted via the contact pin of the first connection element. The second connection element includes an arm that presses the short-circuit terminal in a direction away from the plug contact at the insertion position to open the short-circuit. The second connecting element also comprises a slider having a fixed arm that holds a lock hook in the groove in the locked position. Therefore, the second connecting element cannot be separated without driving the slider.
US Pat. No. 5,314,345 US Pat. No. 5,275,575 US Pat. No. 5,924,885 German Patent Application No. 4430358 German Patent Application Publication No. 19619323 German Patent Application Publication No. 19939407 German Patent Application Publication No. 10202920

  It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrical plug and socket connector with two plug-in elements that allow a simple construction. It is another object of the present invention to provide an electrical plug and socket connector having two plug-in elements that are less susceptible to damage during transport.

  The above and other objects are achieved by an electrical plug and socket connector according to the present invention. The electrical plug and socket connector according to claim 1 has the advantage that each detachable connection between the two plug-in elements is made via a short-circuit insert. There is also provided a first holding means by which the insert can be held in the first plug-in element. There is also provided second holding means for holding the second plug-in element in the insert. Thus, in contrast to the prior art, the two plug elements are not held together but rather each of the two plug elements is held on the insert. With this new holding structure, it is possible to provide a margin for changing the structure of the two insertion elements and the insert.

  Further advantageous configurations of the electrical plug and socket connector are described in the dependent claims.

  The first and second holding means are preferably configured in the form of locking means, and the locking means are in the form of grooves and locking projections. The connection of the groove and the locking projection is a known and reliable means providing a connection obtained by a simple insertion process between the plug-in element and the insert.

  In another preferred embodiment, the locking projection is configured on an elastic locking hook. A removable connection between the plug-in element and the insert is obtained by the configuration of the elastic locking hook. For this reason, the connection between the plug-in element and the insert can be released simply by bending the lock hook.

  In an exemplary embodiment, the inner lock hook and the outer lock hook are arranged next to each other on the insert, and the locking protrusions of the lock hook are arranged in opposite directions. A lock hook is associated with each of the first and second plug elements. With this arrangement of the lock hooks, the two lock hooks can be easily locked by inserting a plate between the lock hooks. For this reason, the two lock hooks can be locked in the locked position by the plate. Also, the locking element has a simple structure.

  In another embodiment, two pairs of internal and external lock hooks are provided that are configured on opposite sides of the insert. This provides for the introduction of a symmetrical and uniform holding force into the insert. This structure prevents the insertion element from tilting with respect to the insert.

  In another embodiment of the plug and socket connector, the locking element is coupled to the sliding element of the second plug-in element. Also provided is a locking means that is detachably held in a locking position on the second plug-in element using a sliding element. In the locking position of the sliding element, the locking element is arranged adjacent to the first and second locking hooks and defines two locking hooks in the locking position. By providing a sliding element that is biased against the locking position via a spring element, the reliable locking of the two plug-in elements with the insert can be easily monitored. The sliding element preferably also comprises an unlocking element that opens the shorting bar at the locking position of the sliding element. The locking hook is thus fixed in the locked position and the shorting bar is opened by a single drive of the sliding element. This allows a simple operation in the plug and socket connector assembly.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the plug and socket connector 1 substantially comprises a first plug element 2, an insert 3, a shorting bar 4 and a second plug element 5. The plug / socket connector 1 is, for example, a plug / socket connector for an ignition device. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the first plug-in element 2 is an igniter and the second plug-in element 5 is an igniter plug for an ignition unit, in particular for an automobile airbag system. The first insertion element 2 has a housing 9 in which a cylindrical recess 6 is formed. The housing 9 has a housing floor 7 on which the plug contacts 8 are held. A first peripheral groove 10 is formed in the housing 9 on the side wall of the recess 6. The housing 9 has a peripheral edge region 11 that defines the recess 6. The edge region 11 is narrowed by the insertion groove 12 on the two opposite side surfaces of the recess. The insertion groove 12 extends in the axial direction of the recess 6 and is guided from the edge region 11 into the first recess 10. The insert groove 12 allows the insert 3 to be easily inserted into the recess 6. In a simple embodiment, the insertion groove 12 may not be present.

  The outer contour of the insert 3 is substantially cylindrical. A second recess 13 defined by the side walls 14 is formed in the insert 3. Opposing holding recesses 15 that hold the short-circuit bar 4 are provided inside the side walls 14.

  In addition, both side walls 14 are set apart on opposite sides, and individual lock hook pairs having external and internal lock hooks 16, 17, 18, 19 are provided in the gap.

  The shorting bar 4 consists of a substantially rectangular frame with spring clips 20 and 21 at opposite corners.

  The second plug-in element 5 comprises a plug housing 22, a sleeve contact 23 having a conductor, a ferrite block 24, a strain relief element 25, a sliding element 26 and an electric cable 27. The plug housing 22 includes a plug-in element portion 28 protruding from the plug housing 22. The sleeve contact 23 is inserted and held in the insertion portion 28. In addition, the plug housing 22 has a third recess 29 in which the sliding element 26 is inserted into the plug housing 22 and held so as to be displaceable. The sliding element 26 includes a housing plate 32 in which a first locking arm 30, a second locking arm 31, a fixed arm 33, and a locking release arm 34 extend vertically downward. The fixing element 33 is provided as a transport fixing element and is configured at the center of the end face of the housing plate 32. The first and second locking arms 30 and 31 come out of the housing plates 32 in both lateral regions facing each other. The lock release arm 34 is disposed between the fixed arm 33 and the second lock arm 31.

  FIG. 2 shows the plug-in element 2 with the mounted insert 3 locked and the shorting bar 4 mounted. For assembly, the insert 3 with the outer locking hooks 16, 17 is aligned towards the insertion groove 12, and the outer locking hooks 16, 17 are bent slightly by bending the outer locking hooks 16, 17. It is inserted inward into the recess of the first plug-in element 2 until it is locked in the first groove 10. Next, since the insert 3 is rotated relative to the assembly position, the external lock hooks 16, 17 are no longer accurately positioned below the insertion groove 12. The insertion groove 12 preferably has an arc shape that is a part of a circle. Therefore, the lock protrusions of the external lock hooks 16 and 17 are also preferably rounded into an arc shape that is a part of a circle.

  Since the two spring clips 20, 21 of the short-circuit bar 4 mounted on the insert 3 abut on the plug contact 8, the two plug contacts 8 are conductively connected. The external lock hooks 16 and 17 are set apart from the associated internal lock hooks 18 and 19 via the slot 35. In a preferred embodiment, the edge region 11 has an edge annular peripheral chamfer 36 on the inner edge. The chamfer 36 makes it easier to adjust and introduce the insert 3, and the outer diameter of the chamfer 36 substantially corresponds to the inner diameter of the recess of the first plug-in element 2. Since an instrument is used to remove the insert 3 and to bend the outer locking hooks 16, 17 inward into the slot 35, the insert 3 can be removed from the first plug-in element 2. For removal, the insert 3 is preferably pressed by first and second external lock hooks 16, 17 below the insertion groove 12. In this position, a particularly simple instrument arrangement is possible.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the assembled second insertion element 5 as seen from below. The plug housing 22 has a plug base 45 from which the insertion portion 28 extends. A first opening 37 from which the fixing arm 33 projects is formed in the plug base 45 in the central front side region. A second opening 38 and a third opening 39 in which the first and second locking arms 30 and 31 are disposed are provided in the plug base 45 on both side surfaces of the insertion portion 28. In addition, a fourth opening 40 from which the unlocking arm 34 protrudes to unlock the shorting bar 4 is formed in the plug base 45 adjacent to the insertion portion 28. In the position shown, the sliding element 26 is in the starting position with the housing plate (not shown in FIG. 3) set apart from the upper edge of the plug housing 22.

  The plug 28 extends substantially vertically downward with respect to the plug base 45 and has a plug surface 46 substantially parallel to the plug base 45. The first contact opening 41 and the second contact opening 42 into which the sleeve contact 23 is inserted are formed in the insertion surface 46. Further, the insertion surfaces 46 adjacent to the first and second contact openings 41 and 42 are set back upward in the outer region. The insertion portion 28 has a first shoulder 43 adjacent to the first contact opening 41 and a second shoulder 44 adjacent to the second contact opening 42. The first and second shoulders 43 and 44 secure space for the first and second spring clips 20 and 21 to contact the plug contact 8 when the insertion portion 28 is completely inserted into the first insertion element 2. .

  The insertion portion 28 has a third groove 47 and a fourth groove 48 in the vicinity of the plug base 45 on both lateral surfaces. Since the outer contour of the section of the second recess 13 of the insert 3 and the section of the insertion part 28 are adapted to each other, only one determined insertion position of the first and second insertion elements 2 and 5 is possible. It is. Accordingly, the first and second locking arms 30, 31 are aligned toward the slot 35 and the unlocking arm 34 is aligned toward one of the two spring clips 20, 21.

  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a first plug-in element 2 and a second plug-in element 5 having an insert (not numbered in FIG. 4) and a shorting bar 4. The insert is locked by external lock hooks 16 and 17 in the first groove 10 (see FIG. 1). In this figure, the first spring clip 20 is shown partially cut adjacent to the plug contact 8. The second spring clip 21 (see FIG. 2) is also adjacent to the second plug contact 8, but is not shown in FIG. Each of the first and second external lock hooks 16, 17 has an outwardly facing lock protrusion 49 that locks into the first groove. Each of the first and second internal lock hooks 18, 19 has a lock projection 50 facing inward. The second insertion element 5 is shown in section on the first insertion element 2.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the second insertion element 5 is inserted into the first insertion element 2 in the mating position. In the fitting position, the plug contact 8 and the sleeve contact 23 which are the first and second contacts are connected and come into electrical contact. Further, the insertion portion 28 is completely inserted into the second recess 13 (see FIG. 1) in the insert 3. Upon insertion, the internal lock hooks 18, 19 are bent outwardly into the region of the slot 35 until their second lock projections 50 reach the third and fourth grooves 47, 48 of the insert 28. . When reaching the third and fourth grooves 47, 48, the second lock protrusion 50 is displaced into the third and fourth grooves 47, 48. In this position, the first and second contacts 8, 23 are conductively connected, the first plug element 2 locks with the insert 3, and the insert 3 locks with the second plug element 5. However, the locking connection between the plug-in elements 2, 5 and the insert 3 has not yet been ensured. The shorting bar 4 is still conductively connected to the two plug-in contacts 8 via the first and second spring clips 20, 21. The sliding element 26 has a lock plate 51 connected to the housing plate 32. A lock element 52 disposed below the lock plate 51 along the sliding direction of the slide element 26 is disposed on the plug housing 22.

  FIG. 6 shows a cross section of the plug and socket connector 1 in the locked position. Starting from FIG. 5, the sliding element 26 is pressed deep into the plug housing 22 to reach the locked position. The first and second locking arms 30, 31 slide into a slot 35 between the outer and inner lock hook pairs 16, 17, 18, 19. Since the outer and inner locking hooks 16, 17, 18, 19 are fixed in their positions, the locking connection between the first insertion element 2 and the insert 3 and the removal of the locking connection between the second insertion element 5 and the insert 3 are It is no longer possible. Also, the insertion of the sliding element 26 causes the locking release arm 34 outside the insertion portion 28 to be pressed downward to the position of the first spring clip 20, and the first spring clip 20 is bent in a direction away by the associated plug contact 8. It is done. The short-circuit function of the short-circuit bar 4 is released in this way. Further, since the lock plate 51 slides via the lock element 52, the slide element 26 is held in the locked position by the lock plate 51 and the lock element 52. For this purpose, the locking plate 51 and the locking element 52 are provided with corresponding locking means such as grooves and protrusions.

  In order to release the connection between the first and second plug-in elements 2, 5, the lock connection between the lock plate 51 and the lock element 52 is preferably released using an instrument, and the sliding element 26 is It moves upward from the plug housing 22. For this reason, since the slot 35 is vacant, the second insertion element 5 can be removed from the insert 3 by bending the inner lock hooks 18, 19 outward.

1 is an exploded perspective view of a plug and socket connector according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a first insertion element of the plug and socket connector of FIG. 1. It is a perspective view which shows the 2nd insertion element of the plug socket connector of FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the first plug element of FIG. 2 and the second plug element of FIG. 3 with an inserted insert. FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional view of the plug and socket connector of FIGS. 1 and 43 with the first and second plug elements in a mated state. It is sectional drawing of the plug and socket connector locked.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Plug and socket connector 2 1st insertion element 3 Insert 4 Shorting bar 5 2nd insertion element 8 Plug contact (1st electrical contact)
10 First groove (first holding means)
16, 17 First lock hook (first holding means)
18, 19 Second lock hook (second holding means)
23 Sleeve contact (second electrical contact)
26 Sliding element 28 Insertion part 30, 31 Locking arm (locking element)
34 Lock release arm (lock release element)
35 Slot 47, 48 Groove 49 First lock protrusion 50 Second lock protrusion 51 Lock plate (lock element)
52 Locking elements

Claims (11)

Two insertion elements, a first electrical contact disposed in the first insertion element of the two insertion elements, an insert having a shorting bar provided in the first insertion element, and the first insertion element The first holding means for fixing the insert, and the second electrical contact provided on the second insertion element of the two insertion elements, and when the two insertion elements are connected, the first And an electrical plug and socket connector in which the second electrical contact contacts each other and the shorting bar releases the short circuit,
An electrical plug / socket connector characterized in that second holding means for fixing the second insertion element to the insert is provided.   2. The electrical plug / socket connector according to claim 1, wherein the first holding means is configured in the form of a lock means comprising a groove and a lock projection.   3. The electric plug / socket connector according to claim 1, wherein the second holding means is configured in the form of a lock means including a groove and a lock protrusion. The first holding means has a groove;
4. The electrical plug / socket connector according to claim 2, wherein the insert has a first locking projection locked in the groove.   5. The electric plug / socket connector according to claim 4, wherein the first holding projection is formed on a first lock hook. The insert has a second locking projection;
The second plug-in element has a second groove;
6. The electric plug / socket connector according to claim 3, wherein the second lock protrusion is engaged with the second groove.   7. The electric plug / socket connector according to claim 6, wherein the second lock protrusion is formed on the second lock hook. The first and second locking hooks are disposed adjacent to each other and separated by a slot;
A locking element is provided,
The locking element can be introduced into a slot between the two lock hooks so that the two lock hooks cannot be repelled from the first and second grooves in the locked position. Item 8. The electrical plug and socket connector according to any one of Items 5 to 7. As the first and second holding means, two pairs of first and second holding hooks and first and second grooves are provided,
8. The electric plug and socket connector according to claim 5, wherein the first and second holding hooks are formed on opposite sides of the insert. The insertion element comprises a first insertion part;
The second groove is formed on the first insertion portion to receive the second protrusion;
A sliding member is held displaceably in the second insertion element,
The sliding member comprises a locking element and a locking element,
In the locked position, the locking element interlocks with another locking element of the second plug-in element;
10. The electric plug / socket connector according to claim 1, wherein the first and second holding means are held in the holding position by the locking element in the locked position.   11. The electrical plug / socket connector according to claim 10, wherein the sliding member includes an unlocking element that opens the short-circuit bar at the locked position of the sliding member.

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