Abstract:
The invention relates to an electrical connector with a housing with a plurality of contact chambers arranged in at least one row, with contacts arranged in the contact chambers for making contact with a mating contact and with a hinged flap comprising projections which engage in the contact chambers in an end locking position of the flap and secure the contacts therein, wherein the flap can be introduced into an shaft bearing with a shaft perpendicular to the plug-in direction and is rotatably mounted there.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to an electrical connector with a housing having a plurality of contact chambers arranged in at least one row with contacts in the contact chambers and with a hinged flap having projections which extend into the contact chambers in a locking position of the flap to secure the contacts therein which is also suited for flat foil conductors. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     GB 1525046 discloses an electrical connector with three contact chambers arranged in a row in a housing with contacts therein and a hinged flap with projections. The projections extend into the contact chambers in a locking position of the flap to secure the contacts therein where the hinged flap is connected to the housing via a film hinge. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,402 discloses a contact and an electrical connector for flat foil conductors. The electrical connector includes a housing with nine electric contacts arranged in a row, the contacts being suitable for connection to the conductors of a foil and for engaging a mating contact. The housing includes a flap which is hinged to the housing via a film hinge and which can be connected in a locked manner to the housing in a locking position. The flap serves to protect the connections between the contacts and the flat foil conductors. Additional securing of the contacts in the contact chambers is not effected by the hinged flap. Further strain relief on the connector is also not provided. 
     It is known from EP 866 520 to position flat foil conductors by pins on the housing and corresponding openings in the flat foil conductors and thus also to provide strain relief. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide an electrical connector, in particular for a flat foil conductor, that includes an additional securing feature for the contacts that can be produced particularly easily. A further object of the invention is to provide a connector for flat foil conductors that includes additional strain relief for the flat foil. The object is achieved by a connector having the features of the claims. 
     A particular advantage is that a connector according to the invention includes a strain relief for the flat cable. A further particular advantage is that this strain relief is formed integrally with the housing. This prevents loss of the small pins typically used to provide strain relief. 
     A further particular advantage is that, when producing the housing for the connector, the flap and the housing can be produced as two separate parts using very simple tools, these two parts being adapted for assembly upon opening of the tools and then being connected to one another by a hinge. 
     A further particular advantage is that the flap on the housing locks in a pre-locking position and therefore prevents unintentional removal of the flap from the housing. 
     A further particular advantage is that, with the connector according to the invention, the foil is initially terminated at the contacts and the contacts then introduced into the housing with the foil. The strain relief of the foil is initially effected by the corresponding arrangements and the flap can then be brought into its end position to check whether the contacts are located in the correct position. To prevent removal of the contact before the flap is brought into the locking position, the contacts also have a so-called first contact securing means, for example, the contacts have a spring tongue which locks behind a corresponding housing shoulder when the contacts are introduced fully into the housing chambers. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a housing with a flap, the flap not yet having been inserted; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a housing with a flap, the flap having been inserted; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a housing with a flap, the flap being in the pre-locking position; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a housing with a flap, the flap being in a pre-locking position and contacts being introduced with a flat foil; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 2 but with the flat foil and contacts introduced; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view corresponding to FIG. 5 but with the flap in the pre-locking position; 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-section through a contact chamber corresponding to FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 8 shows an enlarged detail of the view in FIG. 6; 
     FIG. 9 shows a partial cross-section through a strain relief arrangement with integrally moulded pin; 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view with a partial cross-section through a strain relief arrangement with an opening and opposing elevation; 
     FIG. 11 shows a detail in perspective with a corresponding part section; and 
     FIG. 12 is a plan view of the corresponding arrangement. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A secondary contact securing means of a connector according to the invention will initially be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to  7 . Various strain relief arrangements will then be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to  12 . 
     FIGS. 1 to  7  show various perspective views and a cross-section of a connector  1  according to the invention. Only a housing  2  and a flap  3  is shown in some figures (FIGS. 1 to  3  and  7 ), whereas FIGS. 4,  5  and  6  also show a foil  4  introduced therein. 
     The housing  2  includes a face  5  and a cable end  6 . The housing  2  includes eight contact chambers  7  arranged in a row. The contact chambers  7  extend from the face  5  to the cable end  6  of the housing  2 . Each contact chamber  7  serves to receive an electric contact. The electric contact is so designed that it can be assembled with a mating contact and includes a region for engaging a flat foil conductor of the foil  4 . Each contact also includes, for example, a catch spring tongue with which it locks behind a shoulder  8  of the contact chamber  7  when the contact is inserted into the contact chamber  7 . Each contact chamber  7  also includes an opening  9  through a lateral wall  10  of the housing  2 . 
     The housing  2  includes, on opposing sides, a catch arm  11  for interlocking with a mating connector. The housing  2  also includes a strain relief  12  on each side at the cable end  6 . 
     In addition, the housing  2  includes a bearing track  13  along the lateral wall  10 . This is bounded by one of the strain relief arrangements  12  on one side and includes an opening  14  on the other side. 
     A flap  3  is provided next to the housing  2 . The flap  3  consists of a plate, a shaft  15  being provided at one end of the plate and a row of projections  16  at the other end of the plate. The number of projections  16  corresponds to the number of chambers  7 . 
     The flap  3  and the housing  2  are produced independently of one another from a thermoplastic material. During the opening of the tools for the injection moulding of the two parts, it is proposed that the flap  3 , with shaft  15 , be inserted automatically into the bearing track  13  through opening  14 . FIG. 1 shows the state of flap  3  and housing  2  prior to insertion. FIGS. 2 and 5 show the flap  3  inserted into the housing. Three longitudinal recesses  17  extend parallel to the shaft  15  are arranged in the flap  3  close to the shaft  15 . Three projections  18  are accordingly located on the lateral wall  10  above the shaft bearing  13 . When the flap  3  is located in its end position on the housing  2 , the projections  18  are arranged above the openings  17 . If the flap  3  is accordingly rotated round the shaft  15 , the projections  18  engage in the openings  17  and ensure guidance of the flap  3  in the direction perpendicular to the plug-in direction S. 
     A lug  19  is provided on one side of the flap  3 . The lug  19  interacts with the wall  20  and therefore the opening  14 . As the flap  3  rotates round the shaft  15 , the lug  19  is guided past the wall  20  in an interlocking manner. This ensures that the flap  3  is located in a pre-locking position from which it cannot be removed accidentally. Accidental removal of the flap  3  from the housing  2  is thus prevented. 
     In the pre-locking position, the projections  16  of the flap  3  run against the openings  9  in the lateral wall  10 . Owing to further pressure on the flap  3  in the direction of the housing  2 , the projections  16  penetrate into the recesses  9  in the individual chambers  7  and therefore into the chambers  7 . The contacts are therefore secured in the chambers  7 . 
     On at least one of the projections  16  there is a catch nose  21  which interacts with the walls of the corresponding recess  9  for interlocking the flap in the locking position. 
     A first embodiment of the strain relief arrangement  12  will now be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9. In this embodiment of the strain relief arrangement  12  located on the housing  2 , the strain relief arrangement  12  includes a slot  30  into which a section of the foil  4  can be inserted. The section of the foil  4  includes an opening  31 . There is a hollow cylinder  32 , on either side of the slot  30 . A pin  34  is arranged in one of the two hollow cylinders  33 . The pin  34  is connected to the internal wall of the hollow cylinder  33  via a set breaking point  35 . Once the foil  4  has been inserted into the slot  30  and is arranged with the opening  31  below the pin  34 , the pin  34  is pressed into the opening  31  and through to the second hollow cylinder  32  by pressure on the end face  36  of the pin  34 . This forms an interlocking connection so that the foil  4  is secured and a tensile strain of the foil  4  is absorbed by the pin  34  and not transmitted to the connection between the contacts and the foil  4 . 
     A second embodiment of the strain relief  12  will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to  12 . The strain relief  12  also includes a slot  31  and the foil  4  is also provided with an opening  31 . There is also a hollow cylinder or relief  33  on one side of the slot  31 . On the other side of the slot  31 , however, there is a post  37  which has a bevel  38  toward the opening side of the slot  31 . The diameter of the post  37  is somewhat smaller than the internal width of the hollow cylinder  33 . The post  37  is also connected to the housing  2  on one side only and has a slot  39  on the other side so that the post  37  is slightly resilient. Owing to this arrangement, it is possible to introduce the foil  4  with opening  31  through the slot  31  and over the post  37  so that the foil  4  is secured against extracting forces.