Electrical pin-and-socket connector

The invention concerns an electrical pin-and-socket connector, in particular for use between a socket (primer) and an electrical control unit for a retention system in motor vehicles, which provides for the locking of the pin-and-socket connector with a long-lasting connecting and engaging and disengaging ability in its locked position, to a great extent tension-free.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention concerns an electrical pin-and-socket connector, in particular for use between a socket (primer) and an electrical control unit for a retention system in motor vehicles, for example an airbag.

2. Description of the Related Art

Such a pin-and-socket connector should have the smallest possible dimensions due to the meager space available in the retention system. From this it follows that individual components of the pin-and-socket connector or associated socket, if applicable, are to have only an extremely small structural size, yet with respect to use involving safety regulations (for example, belt tighteners, airbags) a light assembly on the one hand and a high operational safety on the other is required.

This is so especially with respect to the locking of the connector and socket, whereby the contact elements of the components in the locked state must make secure contact. In the same way, the connector and socket may not inadvertently be detached from one another.

The known pin-and-socket connectors have a controlled latching bar, which is locked so it cannot operate in the initial position and can be moved only in the end position (locked position) if the pin-and-socket connector is inserted into the socket part (primer). The pin-and-socket connectors are essentially made of plastic, whereby the controlled latching bar is at least in part live in the locked end position.

If an external force acts on a plastic, the plastics behave in different ways. Thermoplasts react to an applied force with a continuing force effect (flowing). The flowing is nonreversible and is visible as a deformation. Duroplasts and elastomers do not display this behavior because only a reversible, elastic deformation takes place due to their complete cross-linkage. The flowing can occasionally lead to malfunctions of the latching bar.

If the pin-and-socket connector comes loose after some time and then needs to be put together again, putting it back together again can be problematic due to the remaining deformation of individual components.

SUMMARY AND OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The task of the present invention is therefore to create an electrical pin-and-socket connector that can be put together again even after coming loose after a long time.

The basic idea of the present invention is to design the model and geometrical arrangement as well as the interaction of the individual components in such a way that at least in the end position or the locked position of the pin-and-socket connector the controlled latching bar or the secondary locking mechanism provides for the locking of the pin-and-socket connector to a great extent tension-free or essentially unstressed.

A locking arm of the secondary locking mechanism, designated hereafter as an actuator, produces the locking connection in the pre-lock position through at least one blocking rib, which works together with the case of the pin-and-socket connector. The secondary locking mechanism, which is formed from a basis plate and at least one of the essentially vertically extending operational elements (for example, the actuator), can be positioned in an L-shaped structural form of the pin-and-socket connector in such a way that through pressure on the basis plate the pin-and-socket connector is inserted in the primer or socket with contact connections and directly thereafter the secondary locking mechanism is immersed in the case through the release of a bar on the actuator.

In so doing, a shorting bar can be opened by an opening finger on the secondary locking mechanism. Through a guiding bar on the secondary locking mechanism the loosening of the primary locking mechanism from the socket can be prevented, as the guiding bar takes hold of the primary locking mechanism from behind.

To raise the safety and operational capability of the secondary locking mechanism it has four actuators with the corresponding bars and blocking ribs, whereby the actuators are positioned on the four corner points of the basis plate of the secondary locking mechanism.

Through the force-free end position of the actuator during the injection of the primer and the resulting prevention of the flowing of the material, the operational capability of the mechanism may be improved even after years of use.

In its most general working form the present invention concerns an electrical pin-and-socket connector with the following properties:

1. A case for receiving especially electrically connected contact elements for making contact with corresponding contact parts of the socket, whereby the case has a primary locking element to lock the case with the socket,

2. A secondary locking mechanism guided relative to the case with at least one actuator that projects essentially vertically from the basis plate of the secondary locking mechanism,

3. The secondary locking mechanism is capable of being moved back and forth between a pre-locking position for locking with the case and a locked end position for locking with the socket,

4. The actuator is shaped so it is springy and it is positioned in the end position so it works with a recess of the socket in such a way that the actuator is essentially unstressed and the secondary locking mechanism is positioned behind the primary locking device so it can take hold of it.

The construction is further simplified and accordingly space is saved as the actuator and primary locking mechanism lock into the same recess of the socket in the end position. The recess is preferably formed as an interior snap ring groove.

The activity involved in putting together the connector, pre-locked with the secondary locking mechanism, and the connector takes place accordingly in two stages:

First, the locking mechanism and case in the pre-assembled position are guided together; then the locking mechanism is released from the blocking position opposite to the case and can be pushed relative to it.

Further properties of the invention arise from the properties of the subclaims as well as the any other application documents.

The invention is explained in greater detail below by use of working examples.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the figures the same components or equally acting components are designated and represented by the same reference numbers.

The pre-assembly position represented inFIGS. 1a,1b, and1cshows an electrical pin-and-socket connector consisting of a case10and a secondary locking mechanism20in a pre-assembled state over a socket50, also designated as a primer or igniter.

The components are represented in greatly enlarged form and thus are not true to scale. The L-shaped connector representedFIG. 1ahas, for example, a height of about 10 mm and a width of about 20 mm.

In insertion direction S openings run in the case10, in which contact springs, which are not shown, are arranged and which make contact with the corresponding contact pins52of the socket50corresponding to the plug in the locking state of the plug and socket50.

To make the insertion process easier, the secondary locking mechanism20is positioned in the insertion direction S over a nozzle15of the case10and guided in the insertion direction S into the case10. Through such an arrangement a space-saving accommodation of the secondary locking mechanism can be realized.

The case10consists of the nozzle15and an upper part shaped like a cigarette box. It guides contact elements, if necessary, through a welded-on throttle and cable traction relief to further electrical components and has a separate cover16. The case10can be designed as one part or several parts.

The secondary locking mechanism20consists of an essentially rectangular basis plate20p, positioned parallel to the plane of the case10, with the basis plate having actuators22on its four corners extending in insertion direction S, a profile guide rib21, and two arms23, as is shown in the blow up inFIG. 4.

The case10has recesses and indentations for inserting, guiding, and securing the secondary locking mechanism20in its front section positioned over the nozzle15. In the insertion direction to the socket50runs the nozzle15, which has a shape adapted to the socket50(in the present case cylinder shaped).

The actuator22consists of a material that allows for a springiness of the actuator—for example, plastic. On the actuator22, which can also be designated as a stop lance, various projecting parts have been mounted, which are important for the function of the secondary locking mechanism20.

In delivery state, in which the secondary locking mechanism20is pre-assembled with the case10, as is shown inFIGS. 1a,1b, and1cand5, an upper projecting part24, working together with a corresponding projecting part13on the case10, prevents the secondary locking mechanism20from being pulled out of the case10. Below it the freedom of motion of the secondary locking mechanism20is limited in the case10by the middle projecting part25, which extends to the underpart of the case above the nozzle15. In the pre-assembled state all the components of the secondary locking mechanism20are positioned essentially without mechanical tension in the case10.

The case10has a primary locking mechanism11, which is positioned next to the nozzle15and which also extends in the insertion direction S. The primary locking mechanisms11are designed as two arms11, on whose ends detents11rare mounted, which intermesh in a corresponding recess55of the socket50when the plug is inserted into the socket50.

The arms11are positioned in the end position between two actuators22on the short side of the basis plate20p, whereby the arms11are mounted on the case10and the actuators22on the secondary locking mechanism20.

Shortly before reaching the locking position of the detents11rin the recess55, a lower slanted surface26fof a lower projecting part26of the actuator22runs at a corresponding angle50sof the socket50, as a result of which each actuator22is pressed inward against its spring force and as a result the middle projecting part25is moved away from the bearing surface of the case10and guided past the bearing surface, as one can see inFIG. 6.

InFIG. 7one can see that the middle projecting part25was guided past the case10and was locked into the depicted locked end position of the lower projecting part26of the actuator22in the recess55of the socket50. For the locking of the lower projecting part26a second recess can also obviously be provided in the socket50. To save space it is, however, advantageous to have the primary locking mechanism20lock into a common recess55. The recess55of the socket50can be designed as a ring-shaped groove.

In the locked end position the actuators22and also the other components of the secondary locking mechanism20and the primary locking mechanism11lock into the socket without mechanical tension free of force.

The profile guide rib21provides for the interruption of a shorting bar, which is not shown here, through the free end21eof the profile guide rib21. The profile guide rib21serves, in addition, to guide the secondary locking mechanism20into a respective profiled recess or opening of the case10and the socket50.

The arm23provides for the locking of the primary locking device11in the locked end position of the electrical pin-and-socket connector by pushing the arm23when inserting the secondary locking device20between the nozzle15and the back side of the primary locking mechanism11that is turned away from the detent11r.

A guide bar23gof the arm23serves to give further precision to the vertical guiding of the secondary locking mechanism20in the case10along the insertion direction S.

The basis plate20phas on its underside recesses that lock into the corresponding projecting parts or ramps of the cover of the case so that the secondary locking mechanism20essentially lies on a plane with the cover of the case10.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS