Abstract:
A device for establishing an electrical plug connection between device parts which are guided relative to each other with restricted guidance. It finds application in particular in plug-in devices ( 20 ) which are to be electrically connected to a device frame ( 10 ) when they reach their plug-in position. The one plug connecting element ( 21 ) of the plug connection is mounted stationarily on its device part ( 20 ) on a longitudinal side wall in a recess ( 22 ), the other plug connecting element ( 13 ) is mounted on a swivel holder ( 11, 15 ) which is resiliently pressed into the connecting position. When the one device part ( 20 ) is inserted into the other device part ( 10 ), then the swivel holder ( 11, 15 ) is at first pushed out of the range of motion of the device part by the device part until it engages into its recess ( 22 ) upon further insertion and the plug connecting element ( 13 ) mounted thereon is opposite to its counterpart ( 21 ) in the connecting position. This results in a space-saving plug connection which does not interfere with the restricted guidance of the two device parts ( 10, 20 ) and facilitates handling of a plug-in device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2009/054411, filed Apr. 14, 2009. This application claims the benefit and priority of German application 10 2008 018 721.6, filed Apr. 14, 2008. The entire disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0003]    The invention relates to a device for establishing and disconnecting an electrical plug connection, the first plug connecting element and the second plug connecting element of which are connected to each other on device parts when the latter are brought together, wherein the device parts can be moved relative to each other with restricted guidance and are guided against each other, as well as are separated from each other when the device parts are separated, in particular for electrically contacting circuits of a plug-in device with circuits of a device frame receiving the plug-in device. 
       Discussion 
       [0004]    For devices of this type, it is already known to mount the two plug connecting elements such that they are inevitably connected to each other when their device parts are brought together and reach their final position. An example of this application of plug connections is the circuit board which is inserted into a device frame and when reaching its final position engages via a plug connecting element mounted thereon into a plug connecting element mounted on the device frame. A further example is a plug-in device having a housing which is inserted into the device frame and, when reaching its final position, is likewise electrically connected via the two elements of a plug connection to circuits in the device frame. 
         [0005]    As long as there is sufficient space in the direction of the depth of the device frame on both carriers, the plug connection can be realized in the area of the rear side of the device frame, i.e. the two plug connecting elements are then mounted on the front end (in the plug-in direction) of the one carrier, that is, e.g. a circuit board, and in the area of the rear side of the device frame. However, there are also applications in particular for box-like plug-in modules and the device frames receiving the same in which the position of the plug connection in the afore-described manner is not desired as a result of a limited space and a desired small structural depth as well as for an easier handling of a device. This applies, for example, to plug-in devices which must be accessible not only for maintenance purposes but the use of which also has to be possible even when they are outside of their device frame. 
         [0006]    Such devices are, for example, banknote containers, which are inserted into cash depositing and/or cash withdrawal machines, however, have to be taken out on a regular basis for emptying or, respectively, refilling. Their front and rear sides have to be accessible for pull-off mechanisms and one must be able to open them. An electrical plug connection is not desired in these areas, and therefore they have been arranged on a housing side wall or, respectively, on the inside of the plug-in opening of the device frame. 
         [0007]    When a module is often used, i.e. when establishing and disconnecting the plug connection and when handling the plug-in devices, a lateral arrangement of the plug connection is inconvenient since both of its elements project laterally and thus also require increased space which exclusively serves the plug connection and negatively affects the guiding properties of both device parts when these are moved with restricted guidance. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    An object of the invention is to specify a device for establishing a plug connection which, without negatively affecting the guiding properties of both device parts during their sliding movement, allows for a reliable contact with a space requirement as little as possible and guarantees an obstruction-free handling of a device to be contacted. 
         [0009]    By the invention a plug connection is established in the lateral area of the device parts to be electrically connected to each other, which connection does not impede the relative sliding of the device parts because one of the plug connecting elements is arranged countersunk in its device part and the other plug connecting element is moved out of the range of motion on its device part when both device parts are in their sliding state. 
         [0010]    In the separated state of the two device parts, one of the plug connecting elements projects laterally from its carrier, i.e. it projects into the range of motion of the two device parts and is in its connecting position. When the two device parts are now brought together and the second device part is inserted into the first one, then the first plug connecting element is temporarily moved out of its connecting position and allows an unimpeded sliding movement of the two device parts relative to each other until, when moved further, it engages into the recess of the second device part by the spring force and is then again opposite to the second plug connecting element so that by means of a further sliding movement it is plugged together with the second plug connecting element. 
         [0011]    During separation of the two device parts, the plug connection is at first again disconnected as long as the recess of the second device part is still in the area of the movably mounted first plug connecting element. Upon a further separating movement, the recess is moved out of this area, and the second device part then again acts on the movable holder of the first plug connecting element and moves it out of the recess so that both device parts can be separated from each other in an unimpeded manner. 
         [0012]    The invention avoids an arrangement of the plug connecting elements in areas in which they can negatively affect the handling of a plug-in device. Since one of the plug connecting elements can be moved out of the area of restrictive guidance, while the other plug connecting element is arranged in a recess, the entire device can be arranged in the area of a longitudinal side wall of the two device parts without impeding their mutual guidance. In doing so, space is only required for the recess in one of the two device parts which is dimensioned such that it can receive both plug connecting elements and allows their separating movement. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. 
           [0014]    The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1A to 1D  show schematic illustrations of several positions of two device parts having plug connecting elements and being movable relative to each other with restrictive guidance. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  shows a partial view of two device parts having plug connecting elements and being movable relative to each other with restrictive guidance. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective partial view of a plug-in device with a plug connecting element mounted in a recess. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  shows a movable plug connecting element mounted on a device frame. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective illustration of the plug connecting element illustrated in  FIG. 4  with its movable holder. 
       
    
    
       [0020]    Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0022]    In  FIGS. 1A  to D, the various positions are illustrated which two device parts movable relative to each other with restrictive guidance can assume, which device parts each carry a plug connecting element. As plug connecting elements, a plug strip and a socket strip each can be provided, as these are known for the electrical switching of devices. 
         [0023]    The arrangement schematically illustrated in  FIGS. 1A  to D is a rack frame  10  and a plug-in device  20  slidable therein. In the simplest case, this can be a circuit board on which electrical circuits and components are arranged, which, in a final plug-in position, are to be electrically connected to further circuits in the rack frame  10  via a plug connection. The application of the invention to be described here relates to the use in a box-like plug-in device, in particular a banknote container. In this banknote container preferably at least one electric drive and/or at least one sensor is arranged which is electrically connected via the plug connecting elements to a control circuit arranged outside of the banknote container. Alternatively or additionally, at least one sensor can be arranged in the banknote container which via the plug connecting elements is connected to a control circuit arranged outside of the banknote container. 
         [0024]    In  FIGS. 1A  to D, the rack frame  10  and the plug-in device  20  are each time illustrated in a top view, the rack frame  10  being shown in a horizontal section.  FIG. 1A  shows a first position in which the plug-in device  20  has been inserted into the rack frame  10  already so far from the left side that it abuts with its front lateral edge a swivel arm  11  which is pivotally mounted in the rack frame  10  at  12 . 
         [0025]    The swivel arm  11  carries on its free end a plug connecting element  13  in such an angled position that, in the illustrated position of the swivel arm  11 , it is aligned with a further plug connecting element  21  which is mounted in a lateral recess  22  of the plug-in device  20  and forms the counterpart to the plug connecting element  13 . 
         [0026]    The plug-in device  20  hits with its front lateral edge a control edge  14  of the swivel arm  11  and swivels it out of the range of motion against the force of a leaf spring  15  upon further movement. The leaf spring  15  is articulated to the swivel arm  11  at  16  in a manner still to be described and is stationarily connected to the device frame  10  at  17 . 
         [0027]    When the swivel arm  11  is moved as a result of the further sliding movement of the plug-in device  20  in the direction of the arrow as illustrated, the leaf spring  15  is deflected so far that it eventually assumes the position shown in  FIG. 1B  in which the swivel arm  11  with the plug connecting element  13  is practically completely moved out of the range of motion of the two device parts  10  and  20  for the plug connecting elements  13  and  21 . The front edge of the recess  22  of the plug-in device  20  is in this position shortly set back from the free end of the swivel arm  11  so that the swivel arm cannot change its position until the plug-in device  20  has reached this position. 
         [0028]    When the plug-in device  20  is moved further in the direction of the arrow as illustrated, the swivel arm  11  can engage into the recess  22  of the plug-in device  20  by the force of the leaf spring  15  and thus brings the plug connecting element  13  mounted thereon again in the connecting position in which it is opposite to the plug connecting element  21  of the plug-in device  20  and which is illustrated in  FIG. 1C . 
         [0029]      FIG. 1D  finally shows the final position of the plug-in device  20  in which the two plug connecting elements  13  and  21  are connected to each other and the plug-in device  20  is completely inserted into the device frame  10 . When the plug-in device  20  is pulled from this position in the direction of the arrow as illustrated in  FIG. 1D  to the left and out of the device frame  10 , then the front edge  23  of the recess  22  hits the leaf spring  15  which now forms a control surface that is inclined to the sliding path and which is moved out of the range of motion of the plug-in device  20 . As a result thereof, the position of the swivel arm  11  shown in  FIG. 1B  is again reached, in which it does not impede the sliding movement. 
         [0030]    From the above described sequences of motions, it can be seen that the recess  22  must have a length in sliding direction which at least corresponds to the length of the plug-connected plug connecting elements  13  and  21  plus their mutual distance immediately after disconnecting the plug connection. Its depth is determined by the thickness of the plug connecting elements  13  and  21 . 
         [0031]    In  FIG. 2 , the device only shown schematically in  FIG. 1 , is shown in a practical embodiment. This device forms part of a banknote container  20  which is inserted into the only partially illustrated device frame  10  of an output device. On its articulated end, the swivel arm  11  has an oblong hole  12  which is guided on a pin  12   a  mounted in the device frame  10 , which pin is in turn held in an angle bracket  12   b  mounted in the device frame  10 . On its other end, the swivel arm  11  has an axis of articulation  16  at which one end of the leaf spring  15  is fixed so that here an articulation between the leaf spring  15  and the swivel arm  11  is formed. With its other end  17 , the leaf spring  15  is fixed to the device frame  10  by two screws  17   a . When this arrangement is pressed downwards by the sliding movement of the banknote container  20  in the illustration in  FIG. 2  then the associated extension of the mechanism comprised of the swivel arm  11  and the leaf spring  15  is made possible by the oblong hole  12  of the swivel arm  11 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 2  shows the position of the device frame  10  and the banknote container  20  in which the plug connection with the plug connecting elements  13  and  21  is established. The length of the recess  22  is dimensioned such that a movement of the banknote container  20  to the left is possible in order to, at first, separate the plug connection. Thereafter, a guiding projection  18  made of a slidable material and located at the free end of the swivel arm  11  abuts the right end of the recess in the area  23  which forms a concave-convex guiding surface for the guiding projection. This projection is guided without substantial resistance such that the entire swivel holder with the swivel arm  11  and the leaf spring  15  is moved out of the range of motion of the banknote container  20 . 
         [0033]    In  FIG. 3 , a banknote container  200  is partially illustrated in a perspective view, which on its longitudinal side wall has a recess  220  in which a plug connecting element  210  is arranged, the contact elements of which are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the banknote container  200 . The plug connecting element  210  is mounted in a holder  212 , the outside of which lies in the side wall plane of the banknote container  200 . On both sides of the holder  212 , the bottom  211  of the recess  220  passes, via inclined surfaces  213 , over into the longitudinal side wall of the banknote container  200 . The right-hand edge  230  of the recess  220  is formed in a curved manner, similar to the illustration in  FIG. 2 , in order to facilitate the sliding of a holder (not illustrated here) for a second plug connecting element. 
         [0034]      FIG. 4  shows the view of a plug connecting element  130  mounted in the wall of a device frame  100 . Its holder corresponds to the principle shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 . The plug connecting element  130  is screwed on a carrier  131  to an articulated piece  180  which is articulated to an upper swivel arm  111  and a lower swivel arm  112  on bearing journals  161  and  162 . The screw connection between the carrier  131  and the articulated piece  180  also serves to hold the ends  153  and  154  of two leaf spring arms  151 ,  152  of a leaf spring  150 , the other end  170  of which is fixed to the wall of the device frame  100  with screws  171  and  172 . 
         [0035]    In  FIG. 5 , the arrangement shown in  FIG. 4  is illustrated in a perspective view without the wall of the device frame  100 . It can be seen that the carrier  131  for the plug connecting element  130  is mounted on a fork-like holder, the fork pieces of which are formed by the two swivel arms  111  and  112  and by the two leaf spring arms  151  and  152 , the ends  153  and  154  of which are held between the carrier  131  and the articulated piece  180  by means of the screw connection. The articulated piece  180  connects the swivel arms  111  and  112  to the two leaf spring arms  151  and  152  at the bearing journals  161  and  162  ( FIG. 4 ) and thus creates a rigid structure for carrying the plug connecting element  130 . On its sliding side, the articulated piece  180  has a rounded-off sliding surface  181  which facilitates sliding over the edge  23  of the recess of a plug-in device  20 , which edge is described in connection with  FIG. 2 . 
         [0036]    Each of the two swivel arms  111  and  112  has at its front end in  FIG. 5  an oblong hole  120  which is guided on a pin  121  and  122 , respectively, which forms part of an angle bracket  123 . This angle bracket is mounted in the wall of a device frame not illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0037]    When the mechanism shown in  FIG. 5  is mounted in the side wall of a device frame, the contact elements of the plug connecting element  130  are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the side wall so that an electrical contact can be established with a plug connecting element  210  of the type shown in  FIG. 3 , when the banknote container  200  shown in  FIG. 3  is inserted into the device frame. 
         [0038]    An embodiment of the invention has been described above, in which a movable plug connecting element is mounted on the wall of a device frame and the other plug connecting element is mounted stationarily in a plug-in device. It is likewise possible to mount the one plug connecting element in the plug-in device with a movable holder of the type described and to mount the other plug connecting element on the device frame in a stationary position. 
         [0039]    Instead of a leaf spring, also another spring, e.g. a coil spring or a disc spring can be provided for resiliently biasing the movable plug connecting element. In this case, at the free end of the swivel holder an additional mechanical connection with the carrying element, i.e. for example with the wall of a device frame, may not be necessary, something which depends on the design of the spring used. 
         [0040]    The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the invention, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention.