Patent Publication Number: US-8992266-B2

Title: System connector with adapter module

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/063,576, filed Mar. 11, 2011, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,292,676, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. The aforementioned U.S. application Ser. No. 13/063,576 is a nationalization of PCT/EP2009/008779 filed Dec. 9, 2009. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The invention concerns a system connector consisting of a first housing half and a second housing half matching it, the two halves being snappable and lockable to each other via a locking device and in which at least one contact module is arranged in both housing halves, which includes socket-like and/or pin-like electrical contact elements. 
     Connectors are required to connect or separate lines. The lines can be used to transport electrical current or also for other media (for example, for optical radiation, like light guide). Modular connectors are generally used in machine building and plant design to generate, evaluate or convey control signals directly to the unit being controlled within a connector. System connectors for evaluation of control signals can be equipped with additional electronic components, like switching relays or circuitry. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     System connectors known to one skilled in the art, for example, from DE 202 05 787 U1 or EP 0 860 906 B1 are generally made from two housing halves. One housing half then is a cable outlet in which the corresponding housing half forms the connection area of the system connector. The individual housing halves can be equipped with so-called contact modules and thus individually adjusted to the corresponding use area. A housing half of EP 0 860 906 B1 has indentations to accommodate the individual contact modules into which the snap-in tabs of the contact modules can snap for their fastening in the housing half. The current direction within the system connector generally runs for safety reasons from the socket to the contact pin. The current-conducting side is therefore formed from the socket side. Wiring (socket or pins in the connection area) of the system connector is therefore dependent on current guiding in the use area. The individual contact modules of the system connector are laid out so that they have a socket and opposite pin contact side. If sockets are present in the connection area of a housing half, contact pins are found in the connection area of the other (matching) housing half. Ultimately the two housing halves of the connector are contacted to each other so that the opposite contact modules engage one in the other and thus produce an electrical contact with each other. 
     However, during use it was found in the connectors of the prior art that prewiring of connectors also entails certain drawbacks. Before assembly of such connectors a contact pin side and socket side must be established. Consequently, in the construction of a plant a supply of differently wired connectors must always be available. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The underlying task of the invention is to propose a system connector that can still be variably used even after equipping of the housing halves with said contact modules. 
     This task is solved by mounting an adapter module on the contact module, which has a first connection side and a second connection side, each of which includes cylindrical adapter elements arranged in a row in which socket contacts or pin contacts are arranged so that the adapter module at its first connection side can be connected to at least one contact module arranged within one of the housing halves and that the socket contacts or pin contacts of the adapter element of the second connection side are suitable for electrical contacting of the contact modules of the matching housing half. 
     The system connector according to the invention includes two housing halves each of which are equipped with contact modules. The contact modules of one of the two housing halves are provided with adapter modules so that the opposite contact modules of the other housing half can be electrically contacted. 
     The adapter modules are designed so that the contact modules can have contact sockets on both sides. Such system connectors have the advantage that the current direction in the use area is no longer relevant. 
     In a particularly advantageous variant of the invention the adapter module includes snap-in arms with molded-on snap-in tabs that engage into notches of the contact module prescribed for this purpose for locking. The adapter modules are firmly connected to the contact modules on this account and do not fall out of the contact module when the two system connector housing halves are brought together. 
     The individual adapter modules have cylindrical adapter elements. Pin contacts are contained in the cylindrical adapter elements, if the contact elements of the contact modules of both housing halves are designed socket-like. 
     On the other hand, socket contacts are contained within the cylindrical adapter elements, if the contact elements are pin-like. 
     It is therefore advantageous to always configure the adapter elements opposite to the contact elements—socket and pin or pin and socket. 
     Therefore it is now completely irrelevant whether the contact modules have
         a socket and an opposite pin contact side   a socket contact side on both sides   or a pin contact side on both sides.
 
An appropriate adapter element is available for each variant.
       

     An advantageous modification of the invention includes an adapter module that has a bridge element for electrical bridging of at least two adjacent socket or pin elements within a contact module. This means that at least two contacts of a module arranged in a row are electrically connected to each other. In some applications so-called bridging of individual contact elements is necessary. This can be accomplished particularly simply with the bridge element according to the invention for electrical bridging. 
     In order to make such bridging visible to the user, the adapter module advantageously includes a display for visualization of the at least two socket or pin elements bridged to each other. 
     The adapter module advantageously includes a flat element which extends in the connection direction of the adapter module on the contact module and which is arranged between two snap-in arms whose snap-in tabs point in the same direction. The flat element also has a connector-like extension. Bridging of the contact elements is also visible laterally on the individual contact modules through this connector-like extension. 
     For visualization of bridging in the connection area of the system connector the connector is provided with a color at its end surface orthogonal to the flat element. Through color marking and bridging the user (even after the system connector is already assembled) can see the bridged socket or pin elements in the connection area. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A practical example of the invention is shown in the drawings and further explained below. In the drawings 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the first housing half of a system connector, 
         FIG. 2  shows a top view of the first housing half of a system connector, 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a second housing half of a system connector, 
         FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of a contact module for the housing halves of the system connector, 
         FIG. 5  shows a side view of an adapter module without bridge elements, 
         FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of the adapter module without bridge elements, 
         FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of the adapter module with integrated bridge elements, 
         FIG. 8  shows a sectional view of the adapter module from  FIG. 7 , 
         FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of an adapter module snapped onto the contact module with integrated bridge element and 
         FIG. 10  shows a perspective view of the system connector. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modification within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show a first housing half  2  of a system connector  1 . The first housing half  2  has an almost rectangular base surface in which an also rectangular recess  6  is made. Individual contact modules  3  that form a connection area  4  of the first housing half  2  can be inserted into this recess  6 . In the second practical example shown here the contact modules  3  are inserted into the recess  6  for the housing half  2  on one of the narrow sides and are laterally pushed into a guide  31  ( FIG. 4 ) along a rail (not shown) until the housing half is filled with contact modules  3 . A guide  32  is provided for perpendicular introduction on contact module  3 , which is guided on a matching (not shown) rail of recess  6 . Similarly, a second housing half  10  can be equipped with contact modules  11 . 
     The first housing half  2  has a protruding collar  7  in which a groove is made. A seal  5  is inserted into this groove, which seals the assembled finished housing  1  relative to environmental effects, like dust and moisture. 
       FIG. 3  shows the second housing half  10  of the system connector  1 . As already mentioned above, contact modules  11  can also be inserted into the second housing half  10 . The second housing half is provided with a coupling housing  16  having a cable outlet  12 . 
       FIG. 4  shows the contact modules  3 ,  11  that can be inserted into both housing halves. The contact modules  3 ,  11  are designed almost cuboid. Individual socket-like contact elements  3   a ,  11   a  are arranged in contact modules  3 ,  11 , which are suitable for producing electrical contact with electrical conductors. For this purpose a multiwire cable (not shown here) is guided into the cable outlet  12  of the second housing half  10  and the individual electrical conductors (in the connection area of the second housing half) are connected to the contact elements  11   a  of the contact module  11 . For fastening of the cable it can be screwed to the cable outlet  12  by means of an appropriate screw connection. 
     In the variant of the system connector  1  shown here the contact modules  3 ,  11  of the housing halves  2 ,  10  are identical to each other in their connection areas  4 ,  4 ′, i.e., aligned socket-like. 
     In order to produce electrical contact between the opposite contact modules  3 ,  11 , an adapter module  20  is mounted on a contact module (for example, on a contact module  11  of the second housing half  10 ). The housing halves  2 ,  10  can then be snapped to each other. 
     As already explained above, an adapter module  20  is provided in order to produce electrical contact between the two identically aligned contact modules  3  and  11  of the housing halves  2 ,  10 . As can be deduced from  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the adapter module  20  has a first connection side  20   a  and an opposite second connection side  20   b . Several cylindrical adapter elements  21  arranged in a row are arranged on the adapter module  20  into which socket or pin contacts  26  are inserted, which again engage in the contact elements  3   a  and  11   a  in the contact modules  3 ,  11  and thus produce electrical contact between both  3  and  11 . The individual socket and pin contacts  26  are produced by punching and bending, the socket contacts having slotted contact tabs in the connection direction. The contact tabs are bent radially inward on their outer end. In order to connect the adapter modules  20  to the contact modules  3 ,  11 , snap-in hooks  14  with snap-in tabs  14   a  are applied to the adapter module  20 . The contact modules  3 ,  11  have notches  13  on the connection side (in the connection direction) into which the snap-in tabs  14   a  of the adapter module engage during connection.  FIGS. 7 and 8  show a modification of the adapter module  20 . The adapter module  29  has a flat element  28  between the snap-in hooks  14  and in the connection direction to the contact modules  3 ,  11 , which (after locking of the adapter module  29  with the contact module  3 ,  11 ) lies laterally on the contact module  3 ,  11  ( FIG. 9 ). The flat element  28  includes connectors  23  as an extension whose significance is explained further below. 
     The contact modules  3 ,  11  are also provided with guides  43 . The adapter module  20 ,  29  can be pushed onto the contact module  3 ,  11  along the guide. The guides  43  are only present on one side so that the adapter modules  29  can also only be mounted on one side. Polarization of the adapter module  29  is achieved on this account. In some technical applications it can be useful to electrically bridge individual contact elements  3   a ,  11   a  of the contact module  3 ,  11  to each other within the connector housing. 
     In this case a recess  27  is made in the area of the adapter elements  21  into which electrically conducting bridge elements  22  are introduced ( FIG. 8 ). The bridge elements are plates having pin contacts connected to each other in conducting fashion. Moldings  33  are present within the recess  27  that engage in recesses (i.e., indentations)  30  of the bridge element  22 . The entire component (plate and pin contacts) is introduced in one piece into the corresponding recess  27 . Owing to the fact that the recesses  30  are only present on one side on the bridge element, the bridge element can also only be introduced on one side into the recess  27 . Polarization of the bridge element  22  is thus achieved. 
     During engagement of the adapter element  21  of the adapter module  29  in contact elements  3   a ,  11   a , these are then also bridged to each other. 
     In order to make the bridged contact elements  3   a ,  11   a  of modules  3 ,  11  visible, connectors  23 , which can be inserted into guides  24  of the contact modules  3 ,  11  provided for this purpose, are molded on the flat element  28  of the adapter module  29 . In a perspective side view of the contact module  29  ( FIG. 9 ) the connector  23  indicates the position of bridging. The number of connectors  23  is equivalent to the number of bridge elements  22 . In  FIG. 9  the contact elements  3   a ,  11   a  of the contact module  3 ,  11 , which are situated to the left and right of connector  23 , are bridged to each other. In the adapter module  29  in  FIG. 7  four adjacent contact elements  3   a ,  11   a  are bridged during mounting on a contact module  3 ,  11 . 
       FIG. 7  shows a perspective view of the adapter module  29 . The connectors  23  are marked in color on their end  25  facing the viewer so that bridging of individual contact elements  3   a  is made visible on viewing the connection area  8  of the system connector  1 . In an advantageous variant of the adapter module  29  fluorescent or phosphorescent ingredients are added to the color. This enables the viewer to also recognize the contact elements  3   a  through a bridge to each other even under poor light conditions. 
       FIG. 10  shows a complete system connector  1 . The system connector  1  includes a stamping mechanism ( FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 ). During assembly of the housing halves  2 ,  10  a spring  40  snaps into a snap-in hook  41 . Because of this the housing halves  2 ,  10  are locked to each other. By operating pushbutton  42  the snap-in springs  40  are guided from the effect area of the snap-in hook  41  and the upper housing half  10  can be removed from the lower housing half  2 . 
     The invention being thus described, it will be apparent that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be recognized by one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 
     System Connector with Adapter Module 
     
         
           1  System connector 
           2  First housing half 
           3  Contact module,  3   a  Contact elements 
           4  Connection face of the first housing half,  4 ′ Connection face of the second housing half 
           5  Seal 
           6  Rectangular recess 
           7  Collar 
           8  Connection area 
           10  Second housing half 
           11  Contact module,  11   a  Contact elements 
           12  Cable outlet 
           13  Notches 
           14  Snap-in hooks,  14   a  Snap-in tabs 
         
           15 
         
           16  Coupling housing 
           20  Adapter module,  20   a  First side,  20   b  Second side 
           21  Adapter elements 
           22  Bridge elements 
           23  Connectors 
           24  Guide 
           25  End surface of connectors (colored) 
           26  Socket or pin contacts 
           27  Recess 
           28  Flat element 
           29  Modification of adapter module  20 —adapter module with bridge element 
           30  Recesses 
           31  Guide 
           32  Guide 
           33  Molding 
           40  Spring 
           41  Snap-in hook 
           42  Operating buttons or pushbuttons