Connector system having fit sections

A connector is disclosed. The connector has a plug and a jack receiving the plug. The plug has a plug housing surrounding a plurality of plug contacts and including a plurality of symmetric male fit sections. The jack has a jack housing supporting a plurality of jack contacts corresponding to the plurality of plug contacts. The jack housing includes a plurality of symmetric female fit sections.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a connector, and more particularly, to a connector comprising a plug and a jack.

BACKGROUND

A connector having a plug and a jack forming an electrical connection between at least eight contacts is known from DE 10 2013 103 069 B3, DE 10 2012 008 198 B4 or DE 10 2010 014 295 A1. Such known connectors connect data cables according to the CAT 5, CAT 6 or CAT 7 standards, however, the plug and/or the jack can also be accidentally networked with RJ 45 components regularly used in the network environment.

Modern production environments are further automated and have decentralized units to be controlled by a central data processing unit. Reliable control of each unit by the central data processing unit depends on reliable connections of data cables extending between the units and the central data processing unit. Sound electrical contact between the plug and the jack is of utmost importance to reliably operate units in modern production environments.

SUMMARY

An object of the invention, among others, is to provide a connector forming a secure connection between a plug and a jack while also preventing mis-mating. The disclosed connector has a plug and a jack receiving the plug. The plug has a plug housing surrounding a plurality of plug contacts and including a plurality of symmetric male fit sections. The jack has a jack housing supporting a plurality of jack contacts corresponding to the plurality of plug contacts. The jack housing includes a plurality of symmetric female fit sections.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)

The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to embodiments of a connector. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and still fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

A connector according to the invention is shown inFIGS. 1-13and comprises a plug100and a jack200.

The plug100is shown inFIGS. 1-5. The plug100, as shown inFIG. 1, has a plug housing102made of bent sheet metal receiving a plug insert104made of a non-electrically conductive plastic material and adapted to hold eight plug contacts106. Contact sections108of the plug contacts106are exposed within a receiving recess110of the plug insert104. As shown inFIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the contact sections108are exposed at a free end of the plug insert104near the opening of the receiving recess110and the plug insert104is level with a housing opening112of the plug housing102.

The plug housing102is made of bent sheet metal bent to define a cylindrical inserting section114, as shown inFIG. 4. The plug insert104has a sleeve116at a proximal end with an outer circumferential surface essentially corresponding to the inserting section114made of bent sheet metal; the inserting section114thus cannot be bent inwardly due to the support of the sleeve116. The distal end of the plug insert104has an essentially flat connection portion118provided with channels for each of the plug contacts106. The plug contacts106are exposed with their free connecting ends120on both sides of the connection portion118. The connecting ends120have teeth for connecting with isolated conductors of a cable. After connecting those conductors with the connecting ends120, covers122,124, shown inFIG. 1, are snapped onto the connection portion118of the plug insert104to thereby cover the electrically conductive parts and isolate the connecting ends120from the metal plug housing102.

A release member126, as shown inFIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5, is supported by an outer surface of the upper cover122. The release member126has at its proximal end a releasing surface128defined by the forward end of a ramp130forming a forward step132. The release member126also has a rearward step134. On a side of the plug insert104opposite to the release member126, there is provided a U-shaped bent shield136encompassing the inserting section114of the plug housing102in an assembled state of the plug100, shown inFIG. 3, to make contact with a shielding of the cable.

The plug100also has two identical shells138,140, shown inFIG. 1, which are fastenable with each other to thereby encompass all elements previously described. The shells138have a release element receiving opening142adapted to receive the rearward step134of the release member126and having a longitudinal extension suitable to move the release member126from a rearward rest position to a forward release position defined by the forward and the rearward step132,134.

As shown inFIG. 5, the inserting section114has an essentially rectangular shape. A first axis144inFIG. 5extends in a height direction of the height side surfaces148of the inserting section114and is in the middle between two opposing side walls of said inserting section114extending in height direction. A second axis146extends in a width direction and is arranged in the middle of the upper and the lower side surfaces150of the inserting section114. The intersection between the two axes144,146define a center point152. The plug contacts106are each arranged symmetrically with respect to the second axis146and extend symmetrically with respect to the center point152.

In the upper left and the lower right section divided by the two axes144,146, the sheet metal of the plug housing102is bent at the corner to define oblique corners which are male fit sections154,156. These male fit sections154,156are identical and are symmetrical with respect to the center point152. The male fit sections154,156extend at an angle of 45° relative to each of the axes144,146. The male fit sections154,156are positioned at the outer circumference of the cylindrical inserting section114of the metal plug housing102. The cylindrical shape of said inserting section114is projected by a securing projection158, shown inFIG. 4, which is made by cutting and bending the sheet metal forming the plug housing102. The securing projection158is inclined to project towards the distal end of the plug100.

The jack200is shown inFIGS. 6-13. As shown inFIG. 6, the jack200has a jack housing202formed of bent sheet metal adapted to receive a unitary isolating jack insert204to be inserted into the rectangular jack housing202from a distal end. Proper alignment of the isolating jack insert204into the jack housing202is attained by a longitudinal rib206of the isolating jack insert204and longitudinal slots208open to the distal end of the jack housing202. Eight jack contacts210are received in opposing longitudinal recesses of the isolating jack insert204. Convex contact sections212of said jack contacts210are positioned relative to a proximal end of a male isolating section214of the isolating jack insert204, which male isolating section214is adapted to be received in the receiving recess110of the plug100. The jack contacts210have free solder ends216opposite the contact sections212, which are offset by bending and extend parallel to a longitudinal direction corresponding to an inserting direction I.

As shown inFIGS. 10, 11, and 12, the free solder ends216of the jack contacts210are approximately level with an abutment surface218partially formed by a bottom surface220of the isolating jack insert204and partially formed by portions of the metal jack housing202. Those portions are in particular defined by second leg222of a solder pad224, which is L-shaped to define a first leg226projecting from a main body of the jack housing202in a fastening direction F shown inFIG. 6.

Fastening projection228formed by the isolating jack insert204, shown inFIG. 11, projects beyond the abutment surface218. Pegs230formed by cutting and bending the sheet material defining the jack housing202also project beyond the abutment surface218. Some of the pegs230are cut from the solder pad224and project beyond the second leg222in the fastening direction F. The fastening projections228and the pegs230are adapted to be received in recesses of a printed circuit board (PCB) for securely fastening the jack200thereto. The second leg222contacts the upper surface of the PCB for electrically contacting the metal jack housing202to conductive paths of the PCB. The solder pads224each define solder projections for securely connecting the jack200to the PCB.

The jack housing202, as shown inFIGS. 6 and 7, defines a rectangular opening232adapted to receive the inserting section114of the plug100with opposing height side surfaces234and length side surfaces extending perpendicular thereto and having a longer extension than the height side surfaces234. Projecting slightly inwardly towards the rectangular opening232, there are provided resilient beams238, which are cut from the sheet metal forming the jack housing202and are adapted to make electrical contact with the outer circumferential surface of the inserting section114of the plug100. End sections240of the sheet metal, as shown inFIG. 7, project beyond the opening232. The end sections240are bent outwardly to provide a funnel-shaped configuration leading to the rectangular opening232. Behind said rectangular opening232, there is provided a receiving section242, shown inFIG. 8, which receives the inserting section114of the plug100. The receiving section242has a rectangular form.

First and second axis244,246are shown inFIG. 13in accordance with those axes144,146ofFIG. 5. Two oblique corners forming female fit sections248,250are provided, which partially cover the rectangular receiving section242and are adapted to cooperate with the male fit sections154,156of the plug100for defining a coding, such that the plug100can only be inserted into the jack200in a predetermined way.

The upper of the length side surface236is provided with a pawl252, shown inFIGS. 6 and 7, formed by cutting towards the opening232and bending the sheet material forming the jack housing202towards the rectangular opening232. A free forward end254of the pawl252is bent outwardly as an end section240. The rectangular opening232is thus delimited by the lateral side surfaces234,236, each being provided with end sections240and in addition with the outwardly bent free forward end254to define a funnel shape. The rectangular form, however, is partially blocked by the female fit sections248,250. The pawl252also has a securing opening253positioned rearward of the forward end254.

When inserting the plug100into the jack200, the inserting section114is inserted through the rectangular opening232in a coded orientation in which the male fit sections154,156fit with the female fit sections248,250. Advancing the plug100into the jack200, the securing projection158contacts the ramp-shaped free forward end254, thereby lifting the pawl250. The convex contact sections212of the jack contacts210are brought into contact with the corresponding contact sections108of the plug contacts106. Further, the resilient beams238abut against the outer circumferential surface of the inserting section114, thereby completing outer shielding of the plug contacts106and the jack contacts210. The securing projection158is inserted into the securing opening253of pawl252, securing the plug100to the jack200.

For releasing the plug100and the jack200, the release member126is advanced counter to the inserting direction I to thereby push the releasing surface128against the free forward end254of the pawl252thereby lifting the pawl252, such that the plug100can be withdrawn from the jack200.

FIGS. 14 and 15show a plug300and a jack400according to another embodiment of the invention. The plug300and the jack400have a different coding than the plug100and jack200shown inFIGS. 1-13. Oblique corners forming male fit sections354,356of plug300are positioned at the upper right and the lower left quadrant divided by the first and the second axes344,346. Accordingly, an isolating plug insert304has a respective cross-sectional shape to correspond with this geometry of the metal plug housing302. Otherwise, all parts of the plug300depicted inFIG. 14are identical with those parts of plug100depicted in theFIGS. 1-5.

The jack400shown inFIG. 15has a jack housing402defining oblique corners forming female fit sections448,450in opposite upper left and lower right quadrants, while the jack200shown inFIGS. 6 through 13has those oblique corner sections in upper right and lower left quadrants. Otherwise, all other shapes of both jacks200,400are identical. The jack200,400can be manufactured very economically as just the cutting and the bending of sections248,250or448,450at the end of the rectangular opening232,432is individualized to realize different codings.

The plug300can be inserted into the jack400, but not into jack200. As the fit sections of each jack200,400and each plug100,300are identical, there is at least a theoretical possibility to invert the plug by 180° to insert such plug300into the jack200. However, such positioning would not allow the securing projection158to be inserted into the securing opening253of pawl252. Instead, the securing projection158would collide with the length side surface236at the bottom of the receiving section242, which would prevent jack200and plug300from forming an electrical contact. Furthermore, the jack housing202,402and the plug housing102,302have a rather small size which does not exceed the size of the respective sections of an RJ 45 connector system.

Advantageously, according to the connector of the present invention, the housings have a coding which lead to the connection of a specific plug100,300to a specific jack200,400of the connector system without the possibility of mismatching different plugs and jacks.