Abstract:
The invention relates to an electrical connector element comprising a base part having a socket section to receive a plug-in contact and an insertion part inserted into the socket section for the contacting of a plug-in contact introduced into the socket section.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The invention relates to an electrical connector element comprising a base part having a socket section to receive a plug-in contact and an insertion part inserted into the socket section for the contacting of a plug-in contact introduced into the socket section.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     A connector element of this kind made in two parts is generally known. Whereas the insertion part inserted into the socket section serves for the contacting of a plug-in contact introduced into the socket section, the base part is typically made such that the connector element can be connected to an electrical line. The electrical path from the line to the plug-in contact therefore leads over the base part and the insertion part. In the known connector element, the insertion part and the base part are welded together to establish an electrical connection. The weld connection can e.g. be made in spot-shape at a plurality of positions by a laser welding process,  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     It is the underlying object of the invention to provide an electrical connector element of the initially named kind which withstands an increased current flow and can simultaneously be manufactured with a lower economic effort.  
         [0004]     The object is satisfied by an electrical connector element having the features of claim  1 .  
         [0005]     The connector element in accordance with the invention comprises a base part having a socket section for the reception of a plug-in contract and an insertion part which is inserted into the socket section and which includes two contact spring arms for the contacting of a plug-in contact introduced into the socket section, said contact spring arms merging into one another while forming an insertion part base in an end region of the base part when seen in the plug-in direction, with the insertion part being fixed to the base part by means of a crimp connection in the region of the insertion part base.  
         [0006]     The insertion part base itself is not provided for the contacting of a plug-in contact introduced into the socket section. It can therefore be made for an optimum crimp connection independently of the design of the contact spring arms.  
         [0007]     The crimp connection does not only provide a secure mechanical connection between the insertion part and the base part, but also an electrical and thermal coupling of the insertion part and the base part improved in comparison with a weld connection. The crimp connection in particular has a reduced electrical resistance and an increased thermal conductivity in comparison with a weld connection. Larger currents can thus flow over the crimp connection without the connector element significantly warming up in the region of the crimp connection. The maximum current which can flow over the connector element in accordance with the invention is consequently substantially higher than with a connector element with a welded insertion part and base part.  
         [0008]     The crimp connection can furthermore be established more easily than a weld connection. It is in particular not necessary to invest in a welding apparatus, for example a laser welding apparatus. The crimp connection can instead be produced e.g. by a stamp bending apparatus which is also used to manufacture the insertion part or the base part. The reduced investment costs contribute to allowing the connector element in accordance with the invention to be manufactured with a lower economic effort overall.  
         [0009]     Preferred embodiments of the invention can be seen from the dependent claims, from the description and from the drawing.  
         [0010]     At least one crimp lug whose free end is supported at the insertion part base in the bent over state can be provided at the base part for the formation of the crimp connection.  
         [0011]     The base part preferably has two crimp lugs each bent inwardly by approximately 180° to form the crimp connection. A specific symmetry is achieved by the presence of two crimp lugs which results in a further improvement of the electrical and mechanical properties of the crimp connection. Since the crimp lugs are bent over inwardly, the connector element has a compact design.  
         [0012]     At least one bent over crimp lug of the base part advantageously engages into a recess of the insertion base part. A particularly reliable mechanical connection of the base part and the insertion part is thereby achieved. The bent over crimp lug of the base part engaging into the recess of the insertion part base in particular secures the insertion part against a displacement relative to the base part, for example when a plug-in contact is introduced into the socket section. A correct function of the connector element is permanently ensured in this manner. At the same time, the contact surface between the crimp lug and the insertion part is enlarged by the engagement of the crimp lug into the recess and the electrical and thermal coupling of the base part and the insertion part is thus improved even further.  
         [0013]     A first material layer of the insertion part base facing the crimp lug preferably has a cut-out to form a recess of the insertion part into which the crimp lug engages. The insertion part base and thus the whole insertion part is secured against a displacement relative to the base part by the engagement of the crimp lug into the cut-out.  
         [0014]     It is particularly advantageous for the insertion part base to have spring properties. A crimp lug of the base part cooperating with the insertion part can thus effect a deformation of the insertion part base and can be supported on it against the restoring force of the insertion part base. A sufficient contact force between the crimp lug and the insertion part and thus a reliable electrical and mechanical connection of the insertion part and the base part is thereby permanently ensured.  
         [0015]     A second material layer of the insertion part base remote from the crimp lug advantageously includes a bulge facing the direction of the crimp lug. The bulge gives the insertion part base a certain spring property which contributes to a permanently reliable crimp connection.  
         [0016]     It is particularly preferred for the bulge of the second material layer to be arranged in the region of a cut-out of a first material layer of the insertion part base. In this manner, the or each crimp lug of the base part engaging into the cut-out can be supported at the bulge of the insertion part. It is ensured by the spring properties of the bulge that the or each crimp lug permanently exerts a sufficient contact force onto the insertion part base. An optimum mechanical, electrical and thermal coupling of base part and insertion part is thus permanently ensured.  
         [0017]     A, and preferably each, contact spring arm preferably has at least one longitudinal bulge extending in the plug-in direction. The contact spring arm is stiffened by the longitudinal bulge. In this manner, the stability of the contact spring arm and thus of the insertion part overall is increased, on the one hand, and it is ensured, on the other hand, that a plug-in contact introduced into the socket section can be permanently acted on with sufficient contact force. A longitudinal bulge of a contact spring arm can merge into a bulge of a second material layer of the insertion part base.  
         [0018]     A, and preferably each, contact arm preferably has a widened section, in particular of T shape, in the region of its free end. The widened section permits an additional fixing of the insertion part to the base part.  
         [0019]     The or each widened section can engage into a cut-out of the base part which is provided for the plug-in contact in the region of an insertion opening of the socket section. The widened section engaging into the cut-out provides an additional locking of the insertion part to the base part, it in particular prevents a displacement of the insertion part relative to the base part in the plug-in direction on the introduction of a plug-in contact. The insertion part is thus not only fixed to the base part in the region of the insertion part base, but furthermore also in the region of the introduction opening, in other words therefore in two regions spaced apart from one another in the plug-in direction. The insertion part is thereby supported even more reliably in the base part.  
         [0020]     The insertion part is preferably manufactured by bending over of a substantially U-shaped stamped part. This permits the manufacture of the insertion part with a minimal material effort. The connector element can thereby be produced even more cost favorably overall.  
         [0021]     The crimp connection is advantageously provided in a region of the base part disposed behind the socket section in the plug-in direction and is in particular arranged between the socket section and a connection section of the base part for the connection of the connector element to an electrical line. Neither the introduction of a plug-in contact into the socket section nor the connection of the connector element to an electrical line is thus impaired by the crimp connection. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]     The invention will be described in the following purely by way of example with reference to an advantageous embodiment and to the drawing. There are shown:  
         [0023]      FIG. 1  is a longitudinal section through an electrical connector element in accordance with the invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 2A  is a cross-section through the connector element of  FIG. 1  in the region of crimp lugs for the fixing of an insertion part to a base part of the connector element.  
         [0025]      FIG. 2B  is a crimp section of the connector element of  FIG. 1  for the connection of the same to an electrical line;  
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the insertion part; and  
         [0027]      FIG. 4  is a further perspective view of the insertion part. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0028]     The connector element in accordance with the invention shown in the Figures is an electrical connector element which is made in two parts and includes a base part  10  and an insertion part  12 . The base part  10  and the insertion part  12  are each made as stamped bending parts and each comprise an electrically conductive material.  
         [0029]     As  FIGS. 1 and 2  show, the base part  10  includes a socket section  14  for the reception of a plug-in contact (not shown) and a first crimp section  16  with first and second crimp lugs  18 ,  20  for the electrical and mechanical connection of the connector element to an electrical line (not shown).  
         [0030]     In the transition from the socket section  14  to the first crimp section  16 , a second crimp section  22  with third crimp lugs  24  is provided which serve for the fixing of the insertion part  12  to the socket section  14 , as will be explained in more detail in the following.  
         [0031]     As  FIG. 2A  shows, the socket section  14  has a substantially parallelepiped basic shape with an approximately square cross-section in the embodiment shown. The socket section  14  includes four side walls  26 ,  28 ,  30  which bound a reception space  32  for the plug-in contact and the insertion part  12 . A latch projection  34 , which permits a latching of the connector element in a connector element housing, is formed at an upper side wall  26 .  
         [0032]     As is shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the insertion part  12  has two contact spring arms  36 ,  38  which are connected to one another via an insertion part base  40 . The insertion part base  40  includes two material layers  42 ,  44  which are formed by the bending over of the base section of a sheet metal plate stamped out in U shape. The one contact spring arm  36  originates directly from the one material layer  42 , whereas the other contact spring arm  38  is connected to the other material layer  44  via a transition section  46  which is oriented substantially perpendicular to the contact spring arms  36 ,  38  and to the insertion part base  40 .  
         [0033]     Starting from the insertion part base  40 , the contact spring arms  36 ,  38  converge toward one another in the direction of their free ends  48 . In a contact region  50  provided for the electrical and mechanical contacting of a plug-in contact introduced into the socket section  14 , the contact spring arms  36 ,  38  have a minimal spacing from one another.  
         [0034]     In the region of the contact region  50 , the contact spring arms  36 ,  38  are each provided with an elongate gap  52  extending in the plug-in direction, which has the result that a plug-in contact introduced into the socket section  14  is contacted by the contact spring arms  36 ,  38  in four different regions  54  overall and the reliability of the contact is thereby increased.  
         [0035]     Starting from the contact region  50 , the contact spring arms  36 ,  38  diverge again in the direction of their free ends  48  to facilitate the introduction of a plug-in contact and to reduce the risk of damage to the insertion part  12  on the introduction of the plug-in contact.  
         [0036]     In the region of their free ends  48 , the contact spring arms  36 ,  38  each have a T-shaped widened section  56 . The T-shaped widened sections  56  engage into cut-outs  58  of the socket section  40  which are bounded by tongue-like prolongations  60  which project from the side walls  26 ,  28 ,  30  of the socket section  14  in the region of an introduction opening  62 . The T-shaped widened sections  56  engaging into the cut-outs  58  prevent the insertion part  12  from being displaced in the plug-in direction relative to the base part  10  on the insertion of a plug-in contact into the socket section  14 .  
         [0037]     Both in a region disposed between the contact region  50  and the free ends  48  and in a region disposed between the contact region  50  and the insertion part base  40 , the contact spring arms  36 ,  38  have longitudinal bulges  64  which extend in the plug-in direction and increase the stiffness of the contact spring arms  36 ,  38  and thus the stability of the insertion part  12 . The longitudinal bulge  64  of the lower contact spring arm  36  at the rear when considered in the plug-in direction merges into a bulge  66  which is provided in the lower material layer  42  of the insertion part base  40 .  
         [0038]     The bulge  66  gives the lower material layer  42 , and thus the insertion part base  40  overall, a certain resilient property in a direction perpendicular to the main plane of the insertion part base  40 . An elongate cut-out  68  is provided in the upper material layer  44  and forms a recess of the insertion part base  40 .  
         [0039]     The length of the contact spring arms  36 ,  38  substantially corresponds to the length of the socket section  14  such that the insertion part base  40  projects out of the socket section  14  and into the second crimp section  22 .  
         [0040]     The third crimp lugs  24 , which project from prolongations of the side walls  28  of the socket section  14 , are inwardly bent over by approximately 180° and are supported at the insertion part base  40 . In more precise terms, the free ends  70  of the third crimp lugs  24  project at least partly into the cut-out  68  of the upper material layer  44  of the insertion part base  40 . The third crimp lugs  24  are slightly chamfered in the region of their free ends  70  to be able to slide more easily past the edge of the upper material layer  44  bounding the cut-out  68  or to be able to support themselves on it.  
         [0041]     The support force exerted onto the insertion part base  40  by the third crimp lugs  24  is transmitted directly via the crimp lugs  24  and/or indirectly via the upper material layer  44  onto the bulge  66  of the lower material layer  42 . A sufficient contact force, i.e. a reliable contacting of the third crimp lugs  24  with the insertion part base  40 , is permanently ensured by the spring property of the bulge  66  of the lower material layer  42 .  
         [0042]     Not only a particularly low-ohm electrical connection of the base part  10  and the insertion part  12  is thus achieved by the cooperation of the third crimp lugs  24  with the insertion part base  40 , but the insertion part  12  is also additionally fixed to the base part  10  by the third crimp lugs  24  engaging into the cut-out  68  of the insertion part base  40 . The risk of a displacement of the insertion part  12  relative to the base part  10  on the introduction of a plug-in contact into or out of the socket section  14  is thereby reduced even further.  
         [0043]     To hold the insertion part  12  even more reliably at the base part  10 , the lower contact arm  36  in the Figures has a latch projection  72  which cooperates with a corresponding latch tongue  74  of the lower side wall  30  of the socket section  14  and the upper contact spring arm  38  has a latch projection  76  which cooperates with a latch tongue  78  of the upper side wall  26  of the socket section  14 . The latch projections  72 ,  76  are oppositely oriented, i.e. the upper latch projection  72  rises in the direction of the introduction opening  62  of the socket section  14  and the lower latch projection  76  rises in the direction of the insertion part base  40 . In this manner, the insertion part  12  is also secured by the latch projections  72 ,  76  against a displacement both in and opposite to the plug-in direction relative to the base part  10 .