Abstract:
An electrical pressure contact device includes a sleeve with a first end and a second end. A contact head is slideably mounted in the sleeve and has a first end protruding from the sleeve and a second end located in the sleeve. A connecting piece has an inner portion connected to an inner wall of the sleeve and an outer portion protruding from the second end of the sleeve. An axially extending bore in a first piece located in the sleeve receives an elongated member of a second piece. A band has a plurality of inwardly arching lamellae and is located in the bore. The elongated member is inserted in the band so that the lamellae rub against the elongated member. A biasing element in the sleeve surrounds the elongated member and urges the contact head away from the sleeve.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2005/007638, filed Jul. 13, 2005. This application claims the benefit of German Application DE 10 2004 033 864.7, filed Jul. 13, 2004. The disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Technical Field 
   The invention relates to an electrical pressure contact comprising a housing sleeve with an end facing the contact and an end facing away from the contact, a conductive contact head that is mounted in the housing sleeve so as to be movable in an axial direction, and which protrudes from the facing the contact end of the housing sleeve, a biasing element that is disposed within the housing sleeve, against whose biasing force the contact head is insertable in the housing sleeve, and a conductive connecting piece that is located at the away from the contact facing end of the housing sleeve for the attachment of an electrical lead. 
   2. Discussion 
   Electrical pressure contacts of the initially described kind serve, for example, for current or signal transfer between elements that are movable against one another. The contact head provided in the pressure contact provides, on the one hand, for a resilient mechanical contact with a counter contact that is movable relative to the housing sleeve. On the other hand, an electrical contact to an electrical lead that is fixed to the connecting piece is producible through the conductive contact head. 
   Electrical pressure contacts of the initially identified type are known from the prior art, which include attached cords on the contact head and the connecting piece. In doing so, the cords are typically twisted, such that they accommodate an insertion of the contact head in the housing sleeve, without kinking. Through this, damaging of the cords can be avoided to a certain degree. Nevertheless, with these pressure contacts, damage frequently arises as a result of a large number of contact stokes, in particular, breaking of the cords. Besides that, the manufacturing of such pressure contacts is comparably complex and expensive. 
   With respect to the prior art, reference is made to an electrical pressure contact, which is described in EP 1 289 072 A2. This pressure contact has an axially flexible electrical lead, which is clamped with its contact facing end in an axial bore that is formed in the away from the contact facing end of the contact head and is clamped with its away from the contact facing end in an axial bore that is formed in a contact facing end of the connecting piece. Thereby, the flexible electrical lead can be formed of cords or also of a compression spring, against whose spring force the contact head is insertable into the housing sleeve. 
   DE 39 38 706 C1 discloses an electrical pressure contact, which manages without cords. As shown in  FIG. 6 , with this pressure contact, the away from the contact facing, i.e., in a housing sleeve  1  inserted portion  2  of a contact head  3  is formed as a hollow cylinder. The wall of the hollow cylinder includes several longitudinal slits  4 , whereby wall sectors are formed, which serve as resilient, electrically conductive contact tongues  5 . The contact tongues  5  rubbingly lie against the inner surface of the current transferring housing sleeve  1 , so that the current can flow over the contact tongues  5  to the housing sleeve  1  and from there to a connection piece  6 . 
   With this pressure contact, contact grease is introduced between the contact tongues  5  and the inner surface of the housing sleeve  1 . The contact grease serves to provide for a transfer resistance between the contact tongues  5  and the housing sleeve  1  that is as small as possible and that is constant over time. Thereby, however, the problem appears that, as a result of the contact strokes, the contact grease travels from the interior of the housing sleeve  1  outward, and therefore, the contact grease is no longer available or also, for example, is contaminated by dust particles, which adhere to the contact facing end of the contact head  3  and, with insertion, travels into the interior of the housing sleeve  1 . Through this contamination, the contact grease gradually loses both its contact properties as well as its lubrication properties. The loss of the contact properties leads to an increase in the transfer resistance between the contact tongues  5  and the housing sleeve  1 , the mechanical properties of the pressure contact degrades through the loss of the greasing properties, so that, for example, the contact head  3  can jam in the spring deflected condition in the housing sleeve  1 . 
   In order to prohibit a deterioration of the contact grease, the end of the contact head  3  projecting out of the housing sleeve  1  is typically cleaned. The typically used cleaning means, however, functions to degrease and make the contact grease likewise gradually ineffective, if the cleaning means travels into the interior of the housing sleeve  1 , as a result of the stroke movement of the contact head. In order to replace the now ineffective contact grease with new contact grease, the pressure contact must be dismantled, which is laborious, time intensive and costly. With respect to the prior art, reference is made to EP 0 838 878 A, EP 1 385 233 A, EP 1 102 359, and EP 0 435 408 A. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Based on this prior art, the object of the invention is to provide an electrical pressure contact of the above-identified type, which is simply constructed and includes a consistently good operational behavior over a long time with respect to its mechanical properties as well as its electrical properties. 
   The invention achieves this object through the given features in the characteristic part of claim  1 . 
   With the pressure contact in accordance with the invention, the electrical contact between the contact head and the connecting piece is produced, such that the away from the contact facing portion of the contact head is accommodated to be axially movable in the contact facing axial bore that is formed in the connecting piece. The current or signal transfer occurs directly over the contact head and the connecting piece, without requiring a transfer through the housing sleeve. The axial bore of the connecting piece forms a separate contact space within housing sleeve. In this separate contact space, contact grease can be introduced, which holds the transfer resistance between the contact head and the connecting piece low and furthermore provides that the away from the contact facing portion is frictionlessly movable in the axial bore of the contact piece. Because the contact grease can be implemented in a separate contact space with the pressure contact in accordance with the invention, it is protected from contaminants like dust, which can appear in the interior of the housing sleeve as a result of the stroke movement. An exchange of the contact grease, which is associated with considerable assembly effort, is therefore also not necessary over a long duration. Also, the use of the degreasing cleaning means can be forgone, which, as described above, damages the effectiveness of the contact grease. The invention thus provides an electrical pressure contact, which is particularly well protected against environmental influences and requires practically no maintenance. 
   A conductive contact element sits in the bore and is coaxial thereto. The contact element rubbingly lies against the outer surface of the away from the contact facing portion of the contact head, which is axially movable, and produces the electrical contact between the contact head and the connecting piece. 
   Thus, with this embodiment, a contact element is located in the bore that is formed in the connecting piece. The away from the contact facing portion of the contact head is inserted into the contact element and contacts with this. Herewith, the away from the contact facing portion of the contact head, the bore that is formed in the contact piece, as well as the contact element sitting therein, form a particularly stable coaxial arrangement, which enables a simple assembly without large alignment effort. The contact element rubbingly lies against the outer surface of the away from the contact facing portion of the contact head that is movable in the contact element, so that a secure contacting is provided for. The current transfer occurs with an advantageously low transfer resistance from the contact head over the contact element directly, i.e., without a detour over the housing sleeve, to the connecting piece. 
   The contact element that sits fixed in the bore of the connecting piece provides, on the one hand; for a good mechanical guidance of the contact head that is inserted in the bore and, on the other hand, for a good electrical contact between the contact head and the connecting piece. Through this, a constant transfer resistance is provided for even after a high number of contact strokes. The pressure contact thus includes consistently good operational behavior over a long duration. 
   The contact element is a metallic, tubular formed element, in which the away from the contact facing section of the contact head is always at least partially inserted, and has several concave, inwardly arched contact lamellae that lie adjacent to one another in the peripheral direction and that run in the longitudinal direction, which are elastically biased against the outer surface of the part of the contact head inserted in the contact element. The elastically operative contact lamellae provide for both a good mechanical guidance as well as a secure contact of the contact head. 
   Preferably, the contact element has several slits that lie adjacent to one another in the peripheral direction and that run in the longitudinal direction. The contact lamellae are, in this embodiment, formed by the areas of the contact element that are formed between these slits. It is thus possible, to form the contact element especially simply and in particular as a single piece, which simplifies the construction of the pressure contact and thereby decreases the production cost. 
   Advantageously, an assembly slit is formed in the wall of the contact element, which penetrates the contact element over its entire length. Thereby, the contact element is with the decrease of the assembly slit so together pressable, that the diameter of the contact element decreases. This advantageous further development of the invention enables the contact element to be easily compressed upon the assembly of the pressure contact and insertable in the bore formed in the connecting piece. Once inserted in the bore, the contact element again expands as a result of its elasticity, and is thus held securely and stably in the bore. Through this, the assembly of pressure contact is simplified. 
   Preferably, the contact element is located in interference fit in the bore of the connecting piece. This also simplifies the construction of the pressure contact. 
   In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bore of the connecting piece has a larger diameter part, a smaller diameter part and a radially inward standing shoulder between these two parts. Thereby, the contact element is located in the larger diameter part and lies with an end against the shoulder. This embodiment enables the contact element to be assembled in a particularly simple manner in the bore of the connecting piece. Because the contact element is located in the larger diameter part of the bore, the away from the contact facing end of the contact head can be inserted through the contact element through until in the smaller diameter part of the bore. This allows a particular compact construction of the pressure contact with good mechanical guidance and secure contacting of the contact head. 
   In the preceding detailed further development, the length of the contact element is preferably equal to the length of the larger diameter part of the bore, while the outer diameters of the two ends of the contact element are equal to the diameter of the larger diameter part of the bore. The contact thus fills out the larger diameter part of the bore in its entire length and is radially fixed over its two ends in this part of the bore. This also simplifies the construction of the contact head. 
   Preferably, the away from the contact facing, smaller diameter portion of the contact head is completely inserted into the bore, when the contact head is maximally inserted in the housing sleeve, while it is only inserted in the larger diameter part of the bore with its away from the contact facing end, when the contact head maximally protrudes from the contact facing end of the housing sleeve. In this manner, the away from the contact facing portion of the contact head is still more securely guided into the bore of the connecting piece. Thereby, the length of the away from the contact facing, smaller diameter portion of the contact head preferably corresponds to the length of the bore. The axial dimensions of the pressure contact can thusly be reduced. 
   The contact element preferably comprises silver plated brass. This material distinguishes itself on the one hand through good conductivity and on the other hand through mechanical durability. Also this contributes to a good mechanical guidance as well as to guarantee a secure contact of the contact head. 
   In another embodiment, it is provided that a connecting piece has an away from the contact facing, larger diameter portion, over which it is fixed to the inner wall of the housing sleeve, and has a contact facing, smaller diameter portion. It is provided that the contact head has a contact facing, larger diameter portion and the away from the contact facing portion with a smaller diameter. It is also provided that the biasing element is a coil spring, which surrounds the away from the contact facing portion of the contact head and the contact facing portion of the connecting piece. With this embodiment, a coil spring that forms the biasing element is located in the space, which is present in the housing sleeve about the meshing arrangement of contact head and connecting piece, i.e., the above identified contact space. Thus, the space that is available within the housing sleeve is optimally used. The electrical pressure contact is widely applicable. For example, it can be part of a train coupling. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Further advantages and features of the solution in accordance with the invention are provided in the following description, which are detailed in conjunction the attached drawings and in hand with an exemplary embodiment are detailed. There is shown: 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of the electrical pressure contact in accordance with the invention, 
       FIG. 2  is a longitudinal section through the electrical pressure contact, 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a contact element located in the electrical pressure contact, 
       FIG. 4  is a further perspective view of the contact element, 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of the contact element, and 
       FIG. 6  is a longitudinal section through an electrical pressure contact that is known from the prior art. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1 through 5  Illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the electrical pressure contact in accordance with the invention with a housing sleeve  10 , which has a contact facing end, the upper end in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and an away from the contact facing end, the lower end in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The housing sleeve axis is indicated with reference number  12 . 
   A contact head  14  is axially movably arranged in the housing sleeve  10 . The contact head  14  has a first end or contact facing portion  16 , which, in the condition of the pressure contact illustrated in  FIG. 2 , protrudes from the contact facing end of the housing sleeve  10 , and a second end or an away from the contact facing portion  18 , which is located within the housing sleeve  10  forming an elongated member. The diameter of the contact facing portion  16  is larger than that of the away from the contact facing portion  18 . 
   In the contact facing end of the portion  16  of the contact head  14  is inserted a contact rivet  20 , for example, made of silver, which has a bulging contact surface  22  that faces the contact. The contact surface  22  is provided for contact with a counter contact that is not illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
   A connecting piece  30  is inserted in the away from the contact facing end of the housing sleeve  10 , which connecting piece  30  has a collar or contact facing portion  32  and inner portion or an away from the contact facing portion  34  coupled thereto. The diameter of the portion  34  is larger than that of the portion  32 . The connecting piece  30  is fixed over its larger diameter portion  34  to the inner surface of the housing sleeve  10 , for example, press-fit. The connecting piece  30  further has an away from the contact facing end  36 , which protrudes from the away from the contact facing end of housing sleeve  10 . Unlike the contact head  14 , the connecting piece  30  is immovably arranged in the housing sleeve  10 . 
   A contact facing bore  38  is formed in the connecting piece  30 , which is exposed to the counter contact not illustrated in the  FIG. 2 . In this exemplary embodiment, the bore  38  is formed as a blind hole. The away from the contact facing portion  18  of the contact head  14  is inserted into the blind hole  38 , wherein it finds itself in the bore  38  only with its free end, in the condition of the away from the contact facing portion  18  illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The length of the away from the contact facing portion  18  of the contact head  14  and the length of the blind hole  38  are dimensioned such that the away from the contact facing portion  18  is completely received into the blind hole  38  when the counter contact inserts the contact head  14  into the housing sleeve  10 . In the completely inserted condition, a shoulder  40  that is formed on the contact head  14  comes into contact with the contact facing end of the connecting piece  30 . In this exemplary embodiment, the away from the contact facing portion  18  of the contact head  14  and the blind hole  38  have approximately the same length. This means that the blind hole  38  is completely filled essentially over its entire length by the away from the contact facing portion  18  with the contact head  14  completely inserted in the housing sleeve  10 . 
   A coil spring  42  is located in the housing sleeve  10 , which biases the contact head  14  in the contact direction. The coil spring  42  lies with its contact facing end against the flange or shoulder  40  formed on the contact head  14 , while it lies against a shoulder  44 , which is formed from the contact facing face surface of the larger diameter portion  34  of the connecting piece  30 , with its away from the contact facing end. The contact head  14  is thus inserted in the housing sleeve  10  against the spring force of the coil spring  42  through the action of the counter contact. 
   The blind hole  38  has a contact facing part  46  and an away from the contact facing part  48 . The diameter of the contact facing part  46  is somewhat larger than the diameter of the away from the contact facing part  48 . The transition between the two parts  46  and  48  of the blind hole  38  is formed from a shoulder  50 . 
   In the larger diameter part  46  of the blind hole  38 , sits a one-piece formed contact element  60 , which is illustrated in more detail in  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5 . The contact element  60  is a band or ring-shaped element of metal, for example, silver plated brass. It has a contact facing end  62  and an away from the contact facing end  64 , which have respective ring-shaped outer surfaces  66  and  68  that are straight in the longitudinal direction. With the outer surfaces  66  and  68 , the contact element  60  lies against the inner wall of the larger diameter part  46  of the blind hole  38 . Besides that, the away from the contact facing face surface, which is indicated with  69 , of the end  64  the end of the contact element  60  lies against the shoulder  50 , which is formed between the two parts  46  and  48  of the blind hole  38 . The length of the contact element  60  corresponds to the length of the larger diameter part  46  of the blind hole  38 . The outer diameters of the two ends  62  and  64  of the contact element  60  correspond to the diameter of the larger diameter part  46  of the blind hole  38 . As a result of the above-identified dimensions of the contact element  60 , the latter sits fixed in the larger diameter portion  46  of the blind hole  38 . 
   The contact element  60  has several concave, inwardly arched contact lamellae  70  that lie adjacent to one another in the circumferential direction and that run in the longitudinal direction in its part lying between the two ends  62  and  64 . The contact lamellae  70  are thereby formed through areas of the contact element  60 , which lie between slits  72  formed in the walls of the contact element  60 , which areas lie adjacent to one another in the circumferential direction of the contact element  60 , and which run in the longitudinal direction parallel to the housing sleeve axis  12 . The contact element  60  is formed such that its contact lamellae  70  are elastically resilient. 
   The contact element  60  further has an assembly slit  74  formed through its wall. This assembly slit  74  enables the contact element  60  to compress upon assembly such that the face surfaces of the assembly slit  74  that face one another come into contact with one another. Through this, the diameter of the contact element is decreased such that the latter enables itself to be inserted in the larger diameter part  46  of the blind hole  38 . Once inserted into the part  46 , the contact element broadens itself out again as a result of its elasticity, whereby the outer surface  66  and  68  come into contact with the inner walls of the larger diameter part  46  of the blind hole  38 . The contact element  60  then sits securely in the larger diameter part  46  of the blind hole  38 . 
   The contact lamellae  70  lie rubbingly against the outer surface of the away from the contact facing portion  18  of the contact head  14 . Through this, a constant contact of the contact element  60  with the contact head  14  is provided for, when this is moved within the blind hole  38  by the action of the not illustrated counter contact. Besides that, the away from the contact facing portion  18  is mechanically led through the contact element  60  surrounding it. The elastic action of the contact element  60  is advantageous for the electrical contacting as well as also for the mechanical feeding of the contact head  14 . 
   If the contact head  14  is inserted in the housing sleeve  10 , thus the away form the contact facing end of the smaller diameter portion  18  of the contact head  14  commences through the contact element  60  into the smaller diameter part  48  of the blind hole  38 . In this exemplary embodiment, the dimensions of the pressure contact are selected such that, in the condition illustrated in  FIG. 2 , in which the contact head  14  maximally protrudes from the contact facing end of the housing sleeve  10 , the away from the contact facing portion  18  of the contact head  14  is almost completely received in the contact element  60 . Through this, the contact surface between the contact head  14  and the contact element  60  is largely constant during the insertion of the contact head  14  in the housing sleeve  10 . Consequently, the transfer resistance between the contact head  14  and the contact element  60  is practically constant over the entire length of the contact stroke. 
   The current transfer occurs from the not illustrated counter contact over the contact rivet  20 , the contact head  14 , the contact element  60  and the connecting piece  30  to a not illustrated electrical lead, which is secured to the away from the contact facing end  36  of the connecting piece  30 . A current transfer through the housing sleeve  10  is accordingly not required. 
   A further important feature of the described pressure contact lies in that the bore  38  formed in the connecting piece  30  forms a separate contact space within the housing sleeve  10 . This contact space is largely sealed from the space surrounding it within the housing sleeve  10 . For this purpose, a sealing element can additionally be located, in the exemplary embodiment in accordance with  FIG. 2 , in the bore  38 , which seals the contact space from the space surrounding it. In this contact space, an appropriate contact grease can be introduced in the area of the contact element  60 . This contact grease is protected from environmental influences by its arrangement in the sealed contact space, for example, from dust, which appears in the interior of the housing sleeve, or from particles, which originate as a result of the contact strokes, e.g., through abrasion within the housing sleeve  10 . Because the contact grease does not become contaminated in the contact space, and because of this also does not deteriorate, it must not as a rule be replaced after a high number of contact strokes. Accordingly, the pressure contact requires no special maintenance with regard to the contact grease used therein. 
   The electrical pressure contact in accordance with the invention is not limited to the preceding exemplary embodiment. Thus, for example, the contact element does not have to be formed as a single piece. It can also extend over the entire length of the bore that is provided in the connecting piece. 
   For example, the away from the contact facing portion  18  of the contact head  14  that is received in the bore  38  can also be formed as a hollow cylinder, as is described in DE 39 38 706 C1. In this case, resilient wall sectors are formed on the contact head, which lie against the interior surface of the bore  38 .