Male connector, female connector and connector arrangement

The male connector (10) comprises a first connector body (14) comprising electrical contacts (54, 56) extending towards the free insertion end (44) of the first connector body (14) and provided with free end portions (58) that are elastically deformable. The first connector body (14) comprises a plug portion (18) extending in the insertion direction and being provided with first hook-like extensions (46) at its free ends extending laterally outward. The hook-like extensions (46) cover the free end portions (58) of the electrical contacts (54, 56) of the first connector body (14) which are elastically biased outwardly to engage the first hook-like extensions (46). Moreover, the female connector (12) comprises a second connector body (16) with electric contacts (98, 100) extending towards the insertion end and being provided with free end portions (104) which are elastically deformable. The second connector body (16) comprises a socket portion (72) enclosing the electrical contacts (98, 100) and comprising the insertion opening, the edge (90) defining this opening being provided with further hook-like extensions (92) extending radially inward.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of connectors, especially to a male connector, a female connector and a connector arrangement comprising such a male connector and a female connector.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Connectors are used in various applications for connecting electrical components to submit electrical energy or data between these components. Such connectors can be used to connect different electric apparatuses mutually as stand-alone units, to connect each of these stand-alone units with a power grid for power supply or to provide a connection between such units to form a network for data exchange.

To provide a realiable electric connection even under heavy duty conditions, the electrical contacts may be comprised within a connector body that protects the damageable tips of the electrical contacts. This is especially the case with connectors for providing a data exchange connection, which may comprise a large number of electrical contacts that can easily be damaged when the different connector parts are plugged together. Usually, such a connector can be provided as a male connector comprising a connector body, which is provided to be inserted into a second connector body of a female connector, or as a respective female connector provided with a reception to receive another connector body of a male connector.

As stated above, it is advantageous to arrange the electrical contacts inside the respective male and female connectors such that their tips are protected from being damaged. For example, documents U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,361 discloses a connector arrangement comprising two connector parts, the male connector body comprising a central plug portion with the electric contacts being arranged to both sides of the plug portion. On the contrary, the female connector part comprises a socket portion to receive the plug portion, the electrical contacts of the female connector body being arranged on the side walls on the inside of the socket portion. When both connector parts are plugged together, the electrical contacts engage each other by sliding along their respective surfaces. The connector of the above kind represents a universal connector for connecting different electric units for medical use, i.e. for establishing a data connection and power supply between different components of a system for monitoring vital functions of a patient. It is obvious that in this field of use, a high relability of the data connection has a high priority. The connector arrangement according to this document also comprises means for securing the two connector parts with each other.

Although the problem of establishing a reliable mechanical connection between the two connector bodies is satisfactory solved by this arrangement, there remains the problem of damaging the tips of the electrical contacts when the two connector parts are pushed together. A small disalignment of the tips of the contacts can be enough to cause an unwanted interference of the ends of the contacts so that they are distorted or the like. If one electrical contact of a first connector is damaged once, the damage can be spread by connecting this first connector to another connector, because the damaged contact can further damage other contacts in the respective complementary connector in another connector arrangement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a connector in which the electrical contacts are satisfactory protected from being damaged when this connector is connected with another connector, without impairing the overall design of the connector or its user friendliness. Moreover, it is a particular object of the present invention to provide a male connector and a female connector with a complementary design, that can be mutually connected to form a connector arrangement in which the electrical contacts of the male and female connector are protected sufficiently even when used incautiously or under heavy duty conditions.

These objects are achieved by a male connector comprising a first connector body (14) provided to be inserted into a second connector body (16) of a female connector (12), the first connector body (14) comprising electrical contacts (54,56) extending towards the free insertion end (44) of the first connector body (14) and being provided with free end portions (58) that are elastically deformable, and a plug portion (18) extending in the insertion direction of the first connector body (14), the plug portion (18) being provided with first hook-like extensions (46) at its free end extending radially outward, the first hook-like extensions (46) being arranged to cover the free end portions (58) of the electrical contacts (54,56) of the first connector body (14) which are elastically biased outwardly to engage the first hook-like extensions (46), a female connector comprising a second connector body (16) provided to receive a first connector body (14) of a male connector (10) by insertion into the second connector body (16), the second connector body (16) comprising electrical contacts (98,100) extending towards the free insertion end of the second connector body (16) and being provided with free end portions (104) that are elastically deformable, the second connector body (16) comprising a socket portion (72) enclosing the electrical contacts (98,100) and comprising an insertion opening at its free insertion end, the edge (90) defining the opening being provided with second hook-like extensions (92) extending radially inward, the second hook-like extensions (92) being arranged to cover the free end portions (104) of the electrical contacts (98,100) of the second connector body (16) which are elastically biased inwardly to engage the second hook-like extensions (92) and a connector arrangement comprising a male connector (10) being provided to be inserted into a second connector body (16) of a female connector (12) so that the respective electrical contacts (98,100) of a first connector body (14) and the second connector body (16) engage with each other.

A male connector according to the present invention comprises a first (male) connector body, which is provided to be inserted into a second (female) connector body of a female connector. Once being connected, these male and female connectors form a connector arrangement, wherein the respective electrical contacts of the male and female connector engaged with each other, establishing an electrical connection.

The connector body of the male connector comprises electrical contacts extending towards the free end of the connector body which is provided to be inserted into the female connector body of the other connector. The electrical contacts are provided with free end portions which are elastically deformable. The male connector comprises a plug portion extending in the insertion direction and which is provided with hook-like extensions at its free end extending radially outward, i.e. in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction. In one possible arrangement, hook-like extensions extend to both sides of the plug portion.

These hook-like extensions are arranged to cover the free tips or end portions of the electrical contacts. The contacts are elastically biased outwardly to engage the hook-like extensions. This engagement can be provided by a contact between the tips of the electrical contacts and dentations forming the ends of the hook-like extensions.

Viewed from the free insertion end of the male connector body, the tips of the electrical contacts lie behind the hook-like extensions and are protected from any interference or mechanical damage. The outer side surfaces of the electrical contacts are still free to be contacted by a complementary electrical contact of the female connector. When the male connector and the female connector are pushed together, the side surfaces of the female electrical contacts can slide of the respective side surfaces of the male electrical contacts, establishing the electric connection. However, there is no danger of an abutment or any interference of the damageable tips of the contacts.

According to one preferred embodiment of this male connector, the plug portion of the first connector body comprises a narrowing portion that narrows its cross-section towards the insertion end of the plug portion. This narrowing portion is defined by wedge surfaces of the electrical contacts of the first connector body in the assembled state of the first and second connector bodies.

In one preferred embodiment, the plug portion comprises a central plug member that is inserted between two wedge members, wherein the central plug member extends beyond the ends of the wedge members and carries the hook-like extension at its free end. The electrical contacts are then arranged at both sides of the wedge members.

This embodiment represents a modular arrangement of the plug portion consisting of the central plug member and the wedge members at both sides, carrying the electrical contacts on their side surfaces.

In another preferred embodiment, the free end portions of the electrical contacts of the first connector body are provided with outwardly curved sections.

These curved sections help to improve the engagement between the electrical contact of the first connector and the complementary electrical contact of the second connector, which may also be provided with such a curved section. The respective curved sections slide along each other when the mechanical connection between the first and second connector is established.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a female connector comprises a second (female) connector body provided to receive a first (male) connector body by insertion into the second connector body. The electrical contacts of this second connector body extend towards the free insertion end and are provided with free end portions which are elastically deformable. Unlike the first connector body described above, the second connector body comprises a socket portion enclosing the electrical contacts and comprising an insertion opening at its free insertion end. The edge defining this opening is provided with hook-like extensions extending radially inward. These second hook-like extensions are arranged to cover the free end portions of the electrical contacts of the second connector body, which are elastically biased inwardly to engage the second hook-like extensions.

The hook-like extensions protect the tips of the electrical contacts of the second connector body, like the first hook-like extensions on the plug portion of the first connection body as described according to the first aspect of the present invention. The first and second connectors have therefore in common that they are both provided with hook-like extensions at their mating portions for insertion/reception of the respective other connector body, the respective hook-like extensions forming a cover for the tips of the electrical contacts. At the second connector, the second hook-like extensions surround the insertion opening of the socket portion.

In a preferred embodiment of this female connector, its socket portion comprises a widening portion, that widens the free cross section within the socket portion towards the insertion opening of the socket portion. This widening portion is defined by wedge surfaces for supporting the electrical contacts of the second connector body in the assembled state of the first connector body and the second connector body.

When the male and female connector are assembled, the electrical contacts of the female connector are supported by the wedge surfaces at their back sides to delimit their bending movement in the outward direction, so that a reliable seat for the electrical contact is created.

According to another preferred embodiment of the female connector, the socket portion comprises wedge members forming inner walls of the socket portion and being inserted into a surrounding socket member that forms outer walls of the socket portion, said surrounding socket member extending beyond the ends of the wedge members and providing the edge defining the insertion opening, said wedge members providing the wedge surfaces of the widening portion, the electrical contacts of the second connector body being arranged on the inner walls formed by the wedge members.

Preferrably, the free end portions of the electrical contacts of the second connector body are provided with inwardly curved sections.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a connector arrangement comprises a male connector as described above and a female connector, the first connector body of the male connector being provided to be inserted into the second connector body of the female connector so that the respective electrical contacts of the first and second connector bodies engage with each other.

According to a preferred embodiment of this connector arrangement, the first connector body comprises a female receiving portion surrounding the plug portion and being provided to receive the socket portion of the second connector body.

This female receiving portion is provided as a mechanical seat receiving the socket portion and giving more strength to the mechanical reception between the different connectors of the arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The connector arrangement according the present invention comprises a male connector10shown inFIG. 1and a female connector12shown inFIG. 2. The male connector and the female connector12are connectable by pushing their respective connector bodies together so that electrical contacts comprised within the respective connector bodies engage with each other. In the present case the male connector10and the female connector12are provided as connectors of electric units for medical use. For example, the connector arrangement according toFIGS. 3 and 4can be used to establish a data connection for data exchange between different electric stand-alone units.

In the following the male connector10shall be described with respect toFIG. 1. This male connector10comprises a connector body generally denoted by reference number14and being described as a first connector body14in the following. This first connector body14is provided to be inserted into a second connector body16of the female connector12according toFIG. 2. The insertion direction of the first connector body14corresponds to the vertical direction inFIG. 1, i.e. the first connector body14is pushed downwards to be plugged into the second connector body16.

The first connector body14is built symetrically with respect to a central axis corresponding to the insertion direction, i.e. standing vertically inFIG. 1. On this central axis a plug portion18is arranged, forming a central male portion of the first connector body14. The plug portion18is received within an opening20within a massive base portion22of the first connector body14and extends downward from the base portion22into a void24that is delimited by outer side walls26of the first connector body14. These outer side walls26form a female receiving portion26.

The plug portion18mainly comprises three parts, namely a central plug member28and two wedge members30,32extending from the base portion22in the insertion direction. More specifically, the plug member28is inserted between the two wedge members30,32, all three elements28,30,32being fitted into the opening20in the base portion22and extending from there into the void24. In their extension direction, the two wedge members30,32narrow towards their ends forming wedge surfaces38in this narrowing portion. With other words, the cross-section of the two wedge members30,32becomes smaller towards their ends. On the contrary, the central plug member keeps its cross-section from the opening along the whole extension length of the wedge members30,32.

The wedge surfaces38define a narrowing portion of the plug portion18within the void24, whereby the cross-section of the plug portion18decreases in the insertion direction. The plug member28extends beyond the ends of the wedge members30,32so that the plug portion18comprises a free insertion end44being formed by a free end of the central plug member28. At this free insertion end44, the plug member28comprises hook-like extensions46extending laterally to both sides of the plug portion18, i.e. in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction. These hook-like extensions46are formed integrally with the plug member28.

Each of the hook-like extensions46comprises a flat wall portion50extending laterally and a dentation52extending from the lateral end of the flat wall portion50in the direction for the base portion22, i.e. against the insertion direction. Generally, the cross-section of the plug portion18is shaped like a mushroom that has been turned over, its cap being formed by the insertion end44with the hook-like extensions46.

To both sides of the plug portion, electrical contacts54,56extend through the opening20in the base portion22along the wedge members30,32towards the insertion end44of the plug portion18. Starting from the back side of the base portion22opposed to the insertion end44, the electrical contacts54,56extend into the opening20in close contact to both sides of the wedge members30,32. Inside the void24, the electrical contacts54,56comprise free end portions58that are spaced apart from the wedge surfaces38and are elastically deformable. That is, the free end portions58can be deflected towards the plug portion18until they get into contact with the wedge portions38. The wedge portions38have the function of a support for the respective electrical contact54,56in the deflected state.

The tips of the electrical contacts54,56lie behind the dentations52of the hook-like extensions46so that the free end portions58are elastically biased outwardly to engage the dentations52of the hook-like extensions46. Due to this engagement, the free end portions58of the electrical contacts54,56are slightly inclined inwardly along the insertion direction of the male connector10.

Near the tips the electrical contacts54,56comprise outwardly curved sections62to improve the engagement of the electrical contacts54,56with the electrical contacts of a female connector, which will be described later. On the backside of the base portion22opposite to the freeinsertion end44, the electrical contacts54,56comprise angular sections64to be connected to a conductor of a cable or the like as it is known from the state of the art.

In the following the female connector12will be described with respect toFIG. 2. The female connector12comprises the second connector body16provided to receive the first connector body of the male connector10by insertion of the first connector body14into the second connector body16. For this reason, the second connector body16can also be understood as a female connector body receiving the male first connector body14.

The second connector body16comprises a socket portion72formed by an outer socket member74, that is formed integrally with a base portion76of the second connector body16, and inner wedge members78,80of the socket portion72, the wedge members78,80forming inner walls of the socket portion72. The wedge members78,80extend from the backside of the female connector12, i.e. from the side opposite to its insertion end through an opening82in the base portion76into the reception space84enclosed by the socket portion72. Within this reception space84, the wedge members78,80comprise narrowing portions that narrow their cross section towards the insertion ends of the wedge members78,80. The narrowing portions of the wedge members78,80are defined inwardly by wedge surfaces88, delimiting a widening portion of the reception space84within the socket portion72that widens the free cross section, i.e. the reception space84within the socket portion72towards the insertion end of the female connector12.

The surrounding socket member74extends towards the insertion end of the female connector12beyond the ends of the wedge members80and provides an edge90defining an opening of the socket portion72. More specifically, this edge90defining the insertion opening is provided with hook-like extensions92extending laterally inward and facing each other at the opposite sides of the socket portion72. Each of these hook-like extensions92comprises a wall portion94extending laterally and a dentation96at the backside of the wall portion94, extending towards the base portion76. Generally speaking, the hook-like extensions92of the second connector body16of the female connector body12correspond to the cross-section of the hook-like extensions46of the plug portion18of the first connector body14. This also stands for the wedge members78,80of the second connector body16, corresponding mainly to the cross-section of the wedge members30,32provided within the first connector body14of the male connector10.

Like in the male connector10described above, electrical contacts98,100are provided within the second connector body16and extend from the back portion of the second connector body16through the base portion76into the reception space84within the socket portion72. Within the base portion76, the electrical contacts98,100are fitted into the second connector body16by a central plug member102so that the electrical contacts98,100lie between the plug member102and the wedge members78,80. Within the widening portion of the second connector body16, defined by the wedge surfaces88, the electrical contacts98,100comprise free end portions104that are elastically deformable and spaced from the wedge surfaces88so that they can be deflected outwardly until they are supported by the wedge surfaces88.

The tips of the electrical contacts98,100engage with the dentations96of the hook-like extension92because of the biasing force of the free end portions104that bias the tips in an inward direction. Moreover, the free end portions104are provided with inwardly curved sections108, corresponding to the outwardly curved sections62of the electrical contacts54,56of the male connector10. The electrical contacts98,100of the female connector12are provided with angular end portions110at the backside of the base portion76to be connected with a conductor of a cable or the like.

The insertion opening of the socket portion72has a cross section wide enough to receive the insertion end44of the first connector body14of the male connector10so that the plug portion18can be shifted into the reception space84within the socket portion72, like it is shown inFIGS. 3 and 4. Moreover, the lateral cross-section of the void24within the female receiving portion26of the first connector body14is wide enough to receive the socket portion72. On its outside, the surrounding socket member72comprises a seal member112, that provides a tight fitting connection between the socket member72and the inner walls of the female receiving portion26.

Viewed from the insertion end44in the direction towards the base portion22of the first connector body14, the tips of the electrical contacts54,56are covered by the hook-like extensions46at the insertion end44of the plug portion18. This means that the tips are protected against being damaged when the male connector10is connected with the female connector12. On the other hand, the lateral sides of the electrical contacts54,56within the void24at both sides of the plug portion18are free to be contacted by the respective electrical contacts98,100of the female connector12. This can be taken fromFIG. 3, showing that the outwardly curved sections62of the electrical connectors54,56can easily get into contact with the inwardly curved sections108of the electrical contacts98,100when the plug portion18is pushed into the socket portion72. In the contact situation shown inFIG. 3, further pushing of the male connector10and female connector12will cause the electrical contacts54,56and98,100to be slightly deflected against their restoring force. When the outwardly curved sections62and inwardly curved sections108have passed each other, like it is shown inFIG. 4, the respective free end portions58,104of the electrical contacts54,56,98,100can further be biased laterally inward and outward, respectively, against the dentations52,96of the hook-like extensions46,92. When the connection between the male connector and the female connector12is established, the insertion end44of the plug portion18the plug member102, and the female receiving portion26encloses the socket portion72completely. In this situation the free ends58of the electrical contacts54,56are supported by the wedge surfaces38of the wedge members30,32and the free ends104of the electrical contacts98,100of the female connector12are supported by the wedge surfaces88of the wedge members78,80in the socket portion72.

It is obvious from the above description and the corresponding figures that the damageable tips of the electrical contacts64,56,98,100are securely protected by the respective hook-like extensions46,92from getting into contact with the respective other tips of the electrical contacts of the other connector, while a reliable electrical connection between the electrical contacts of the connector arrangement can easily be established at the side surfaces of the electrical contacts54,56,98,100that slide onto each other when the male connector10and the female connector12are pushed together. This means that the mechanical and electrical connection in the connector arrangement shown inFIG. 4can be established easily and securely without any danger to damage the electrical contacts54,56,98,100.