Rotatable manipulator for a plug board

The manipulator for pushing plug connectors of a plug board out of engagement with spring strips of a component support has a lug for engaging a plug-in surface of the support in order to engage the plug connectors with the spring strips. The same manipulator is used not only for unplugging the connectors but also for establishing a connection between the plug connectors and the spring strips.

This invention relates to rotatable manipulator for a plug board. 
As is known, various types of devices have been utilized for the 
plugging-in of plug connectors of a plug board. For example, European 
Patent Application No. 191968 describes the use of a manipulator which, 
upon actuation, causes the release of a plug connector of a plug board 
from a spring strip mounted within a suitable cabinet or support However, 
such a manipulator cannot establish a plug connection between the plug 
connector and the spring strip 
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a manipulator 
which is capable of not only disconnecting a plug connector from a spring 
strip but also engaging the plug connector with the spring strip. 
It is another object of the invention to simplify the pushing out and 
plugging in of multi-pole plug connectors of plug boards 
Briefly, the invention is directed to a support or cabinet which has at 
least one spring strip mounted therein and at least one plug board which 
is slidably mounted in the support with at least one plug connector for 
slidably engaging with the spring strip. In accordance with the invention, 
at least one manipulator is pivotally mounted on the plug board to provide 
for disengaging of the plug connector from the spring strip as well as 
engagement of the plug connector with the spring strip. To this end, the 
manipulator is provided with a first lug for engaging a push-out surface 
of the support in response to pivoting of the manipulator in one direction 
in order to cause movement of the plug board away from the spring strip to 
dis-engage the plug connector from the spring strip. The manipulator also 
has a second lug for engaging a plug-in surface of the support in response 
to a counter-pivoting of the manipulator in order to cause movement of the 
plug board towards the spring strip to engage the plug connector with the 
spring strip. 
A front plate may also be secured to the plug board on a side opposite the 
plug connector. In this case, a slot-like recess is provided in the plate 
for passage of the manipulator therethrough. When the manipulator is in a 
normal position corresponding to the plug connector being in engagement 
with the spring strip, the manipulator covers this recess. 
When the manipulator is pivoted in order to engage the plug connector with 
the spring strip, the lug for this purpose contacts the plug-in surface of 
the support and exerts a force perpendicular to the front plate. For 
example, where the front plate is vertical, the force is a horizontal 
force. The plug board is then guided, for example by guide holders within 
the support rearwardly into the support and towards the spring strip in 
order to establish a connection therebetween. 
The support may include a longitudinal section which is common to a 
plurality of plug boards. In this case, the longitudinal section has both 
the push-out surface and the plug-in surface thereon. 
The pivoting range of the manipulator may be limited in the plug-in 
direction by means of a recess in the manipulator which receives the front 
plate. This limiting of the pivoting range, in turn, limits the movement 
of the plug board in the plug-in direction which is caused by the 
manipulator.

Referring to FIG. 1, the plug board 1 includes at least one circuit board 2 
slidably mounted within a pair of guide holders 3 of a component support 
or Cabinet (not shown). In addition, each circuit board 2 has a plurality 
of plug connectors 4 at a rearmost end for slidably engaging with 
respective spring strips 5 mounted within the support (not shown). As 
indicated ,the support includes a pair of longitudinal sections 6 for 
purposes as described below. 
Each circuit board 2 is provided at the front end opposite the plug 
connectors 4 with two pairs of holding brackets 7 to which a vertically 
disposed front plate 8 is secured by suitable means (not shown). In 
addition, each pair of holding brackets 7 is connected by a pin 9 to the 
circuit board 2. As illustrated, with the board 2 vertically disposed, the 
plate 8 extends transversely of the board 2 and the brackets 7 so as to 
extend beyond the plug board 2 and the brackets 7. That is, the height of 
the plate 8 is greater that the height of the board 2. 
Referring to FIG. 2a, a manipulator 10 is pivotally mounted on each pin 9 
within the vertical extent of the board 2 and passes through a slot-like 
recess 11 in the plate 8. Each manipulator 10 has a lug 12 on the 
underside, as viewed, for engaging a push-out surface 13 on a longitudinal 
section 6 of the support (not shown). In the normal position of the 
manipulator 10, the lug 12 abuts the push-out surface 13 on the 
longitudinal section 6. This position corresponds to the front plate 8 
abutting the longitudinal section 6 as well as an engagement of the plug 
connectors 4 with the spring strips 5 (see FIG. 1). 
In order to disengage the plug connectors 4 from the spring strips 5, the 
manipulator is pivoted downwardly, that is, clockwise as indicated in FIG. 
2c. This causes the lug 12 to push against the push-out surface 13 on the 
longitudinal section 6 thereby causing the plug board 1 together with the 
plate 8 to move in the direction indicated by the arrow, that is, to the 
right as viewed in FIG. 2c. In this manner, the plug connection between 
the plug connectors 4 and the spring strips 5 is disengaged. 
Referring to FIG. 2a, each manipulator 10 also has a second lug 14 for 
engaging a plug-in surface 15 on the longitudinal section 6 of the support 
in response to a counter-pivoting of the manipulator 10, that is, a 
counterclockwise pivoting as indicated in FIG. 2b. 
Referring to FIG. 2b, during the counter-clockwise pivoting of the 
manipulator, the lug 14 engages the plug-in surface 15 and causes a 
displacement of the plug board 1 to the left relative to the longitudinal 
section so that a plug connection is established between the plug 
connectors 4 and spring strips 5. 
As indicated in FIG. 2a, the lug 14 is positioned at a radially shorter 
distance from the pin 9 than the lug 12. Also, the plug-in surface 15 and 
the push-out surface 13 are formed on the longitudinal section 6. 
Alternatively, the plug-in surface 15 may be formed on a stop which is 
separately fastened to the longitudinal section 6. 
Each manipulator 10 is also provided with a recess 16 as indicated in FIG. 
2b. When in the normal position as indicated in FIG. 2a, that is, the 
locked state, the manipulator 10 covers the recess 11 in the plate 8. 
The limitation of the movement of the plug board 1 in the plug-in direction 
is achieved by the abutment of the front plate 8 against the longitudinal 
section 6 (see FIG. 2a) or the abutment of the plug connectors 4 on the 
spring strips 5. 
The invention thus provides a rotatable manipulator which can be used for 
the pushing out and plugging in of multi-pole plug connectors of plug 
boards inserted within guide holders of a component support. 
Further, the invention provides a rotatable manipulator of relatively 
simple construction.