ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR

Abstract: A connector comprises a housing having at least one contact element to which an electrical conductor can be fixed, as well as a strain relief, connected to the housing, for transmitting tensile forces between the electrical conductor and the housing. The strain relief comprises a sleeve which consists of at least one part, is able to engage on the electrical conductor and is connected to the housing by means of an interlocking hook connection.

Description: ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR The invention relates to a connector comprising a housing having at least one contact element to which an electrical conductor can be fixed, as well as a strain relief, connected to the housing, for transmitting tensile forces between the electrical conductor and the housing. A connector of this type is known. This known connector has a number of sockets, each of which is connected to an electrical conductor. The electrical conductors together form a bundle that is firmly connected to the housing by means of the strain relief. By this means, the electrical connection between each conductor and socket is protected against mechanical stresses. The strain relief is constructed as a separate ring that is screwed onto the back of the housing and has a clamp for clamping the bundle. Said clamp has two halves, which are fixed to one another by means of screws. This known connector has various disadvantages. The costs are fairly high, if only because of the relatively large number of components and the complex shape of the strain relief and the housing. Moreover, the electrical conductivity of the connection between strain relief and housing is less good, which is a disadvantage especially in the case of bundles that have been protected against electromagnetic pulses by means of a metal screen. The aim of the invention is to provide a connector of the type described above that does not have these disadvantages. Said aim is achieved in that the strain relief comprises a sleeve which consists of at least one part, is able to engage on the electrical conductor and is connected to the housing by means of an interlocking hook connection. The strain relief constructed as a sleeve can be fixed to the housing without supplementary components such as screws or brackets, which enables efficient and inexpensive connection between the connector and the cable. The interlocking hook connection preferably comprises at least one hook element on the housing or the sleeve as well as at least one hook element on the other of these two components, i.e. said sleeve or said housing. In order as far as possible to restrict the number of separate components in the connector, the housing can comprise a ring constructed as an integral whole therewith and having an inward-facing hooked edge and the sleeve can have an outward-facing hooked edge that is hooked behind the inward- facing hooked edge of the housing. Furthermore, the ring can have a lip constructed as an integral whole therewith, which lip protrudes in the axial direction of the housing and extends over a portion of the ring, in the peripheral direction thereof. Said ring provides supplementary support for the sleeve, as a result of which the strain relief is further stabilised. The lip can have an inward- facing ridge and the sleeve can have a corresponding recess in which the ridge can be accommodated. Very reliable fixing of the sleeve to the housing is obtained if the ridge is offset in the axial direction of the housing relative to the hooked edge. The hooked edge and the ridge of the housing are located opposite one another, whilst the hooked edge and the recess in the sleeve are correspondingly located opposite one another. The sleeve is thus locked in a stable manner between the hooked edge and the ridge of the housing. The sleeve can be constructed in various ways. According to a first possibility, the sleeve can be in one piece and slit in the longitudinal direction. When fitting the sleeve between the hooked edge and the ridge of the housing, the sleeve can initially be compressed. The sleeve is then able to spring back into shape, such that it becomes rigidly held behind said hooked edge and ridge. According to a second possibility the sleeve consists of two identical sleeve halves. These sleeve halves can be held together in contact with the electrical conductor(s) by means of a tensioning element. Such a tensioning element can also be used with the split sleeve consisting of one piece. The internal passage in the sleeve can be made such that it gradually narrows, in order to obtain uniform clamping of the electrical conductor. The housing can comprise an outer shell and a plug which is constructed as an integral whole with the outer shell and incorporates the at least one contact element. The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to an illustrative embodiment of the connector shown in the figures. Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section through the housing of the connector according to the invention. Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section through a sleeve. Figure 3 shows a longitudinal section through the assembly of housing and sleeve. Figure 4 shows a rear view of the housing according to Figure 1. Figure 5 shows a front view of a sleeve consisting of two halves. Figure 6 shows a front view of a sleeve consisting of one piece. The connector according to the invention comprises the housing 1 shown in Figure 1 and the sleeve 2 shown in Figure 2, which sleeve 2 comprises two sleeve halves 3, 4. The housing 1 consists of one piece and comprises an outer shell 5 as well as a plug 6 provided with passages 7 in each of which one electrical contact element 8 is located. The plug is readily accessible so that the electrical conductors 18 can be fixed to the contact elements 8 quickly and easily. The housing comprises an integral ring 9, which has a hooked edge 10. A lip 11, that has an inward-facing ridge 12, protrudes with respect to the ring 9. Each of the sleeve halves 3, 4 also has a hooked edge 13 and a recess 14. The hooked edge 13 and recess 14 are axially offset with respect to one another, corresponding to the axial distance between the hooked edge 10 of the housing 1 and the ridge 12 on the lip 11 thereof. As shown in Figure 3, the hooked edge 13 of the one sleeve half 3 is hooked behind the hooked edge 10 of the housing 1. The ridge 12 on the lip 11 of the housing 1 is accommodated in the recess 14 of the other sleeve half 4. The sleeve halves 3, 4 have a narrowing internal passage, defined by the curved internal walls 15. As shown in Figure 3, the cable, indicated in its entirety by 16, can be firmly clamped by this means. To this end the sleeve halves 3, 4 are forced towards one another by means of the pretensioning element 17. The sleeve halves 3, 4 thus act as strain relief, by means of which any tensile forces in the cable 16 are transmitted directly thereto via the hooked edge 10 and the ridge 12 of the housing 1, without any strain being exerted on the electrical conductors 18. Although the sleeve 2 according to Figure 5, consisting of two separate halves 3, 4, has been discussed above, the one-piece sleeve according to Figure 6 can also be used. Said one-piece sleeve has a longitudinal slit 17 and consequently is able to be elastically compressed and then spring back, such that the hooked edge 13 can engage behind the hooked edge 10.

Claims: Claims 1. Connector comprising a housing (1) having at least one contact element (8) to which an electrical conductor (18) can be fixed, as well as a strain relief (2), connected to the housing (1), for transmitting tensile forces between the electrical conductor (18) and the housing (1), characterised in that the strain relief (2) comprises a sleeve (2) which consists of at least one part, is able to engage on the electrical conductor (18) and is connected to the housing (1) by means of an interlocking hook connection (10, 13). 2. Connector according to Claim 1 , wherein the interlocking hook connection comprises at least one hook element (10) on the housing (1) as well as at least one hook element (13) on the sleeve (2). 3. Connector according to Claim 2, wherein the housing (1) comprises a ring (9) constructed as an integral whole therewith and having an inward-facing hooked edge (10) and the sleeve (2) has an outward- facing hooked edge (13) that is hooked behind the inward-facing hooked edge (10) of the housing (1). 4. Connector according to Claim 2, wherein the ring (9) has a lip (11) constructed as an integral whole therewith, which lip (11) protrudes in the axial direction of the housing (1) and extends over a portion of the ring (9), in the peripheral direction thereof. 5. Connector according to Claim 4, wherein the lip (11) has an inward- facing ridge (12) and the sleeve (2) has a corresponding recess (14) in which the ridge (12) can be accommodated. 6. Connector according to Claim 5, wherein the ridge (12) is offset in the axial direction of the housing (1) relative to the hooked edge (10) thereof. 7. Connector according to Claim 6, wherein the ridge (12) is further away from the housing (1) than is the hooked edge (10). 8. Connector according to Claim 5, 6 or 7, wherein the hooked edge (10) and the ridge (12) of the housing (1) are located opposite one another. 9. Connector according to Claim 5, 6, 7 or 8, wherein the recess (4) of the sleeve (2) is offset, in the axial direction of the housing (1), with respect to the hooked edge (13) thereof. 10. Connector according to Claim 9, wherein the hooked edge (13) and the recess (14) in the sleeve (2) are located opposite one another. 11. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sleeve consists of one piece and is slit in the longitudinal direction. 12 Connector according to one of the preceding Claims 1-8, wherein the sleeve (2) consists of two identical sleeve halves (3, 4). 13. Connector according to Claim 11 or 12, wherein, on the outer surface of the lip (11), the ridge (12) together with the recess (14) in the sleeve (2) forms a circular groove in which a tensioning element (17) is located for clamping the sleeve (2) on the electrical conductor(s). 14. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the internal passage in the sleeve (2) is made such that it gradually narrows in the direction of the housing (1). 15. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (1) comprises an outer shell (5) and a plug (6) which is constructed as an integral whole with the outer shell (5) and incorporates the at least one contact element (8). 16. Connector according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the internal passage in the sleeve (2) is curved towards the side of the housing.

Inventors: DE WAARD DANIEL, LEENDERTSE FRANCISCUS HENDRICU, DE WAARD, DANIEL, LEENDERTSE, FRANCISCUS, HENDRICUS
Applicants: FOKKER ELMO B V, LEENDERTSE FRANCISCUS HENDRICU, WAARD DANIEL DE, DE WAARD, DANIEL, FOKKER ELMO B.V., LEENDERTSE, FRANCISCUS, HENDRICUS
Application year: 2000
Main classification: H01R13
IPC codes: H01R13