Patent Publication Number: US-8979568-B2

Title: Electrical plug-in connector having locking clips

Description:
This is a national stage of PCT/DE10/075150 filed Dec. 2, 2010 and published in German, which has a priority of German no. 20 2010 002 396.3 filed Feb. 16, 2010, hereby incorporated by reference. 
     The invention relates to an electric plug-in connector, comprising a first and a second housing half, with the first housing half showing two opposite U-shaped locking bars, respectively held articulate at both sides on bearing pins and each showing latching cams at both sides, which are provided with a recess each engaging the latching cams of the second housing half upon closing of the locking bar such that both housing halves are pressed against each other. 
     Plug-in connectors with locking bars are necessary in order to ensure a reliable electric contact and to prevent any accidental pulling apart of the housing halves of the plug-in connector. 
     PRIOR ART 
     In electric plug-in connectors the housing halves are frequently pressed against each other via so-called locking bars in order to ensure a reliable contact of the electric contact elements of both housing halves. In order to prevent any media, such as dust or water, from entering into the plug-in connector housing, frequently a sealing ring is provided between the housing halves, with its sealing effect being ensured by the force applied by the locking bar between the bearing pin and the locking pin and thus between the housing halves. 
     DE 195 08 605 C1 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,658,162) shows, for example, an electric plug-in connector which comprises locking bars for a reliable locking of the housing halves, in which spring elements are implemented. These spring elements apply a force upon the respective locking pins. 
     When the housing halves of the electric plug-in connector are not positioned precisely aligned prior to the locking process, the electric contact elements of the respective housing halves are not positioned perpendicularly on top of each other. Accordingly, on the one hand, here the locking process of the plug-in connector is aggravated and on the other hand the wear and tear of the electric contact elements is increased by shearing forces developing. 
     When in the above plug-in connector a misalignment of the housing halves is given and the locking bar is guided over the locking pins, the springs implemented in said bar are excessively stretched on one side and quickly lose their spring force so that a reliable locking of the plug-in connector halves is no longer ensured. 
     OBJECTIVE 
     The objective of the invention comprises suggesting an electric plug-in connector with locking bars, which ensures a low-wear plugging in of electric contact elements and simultaneously a reliable locking of the housing halves of the plug-in connector. 
     The objective is attained in that the first housing half comprises at least one bar inserting into the recess of the second housing half provided for this purpose during the assembly of the two housing halves such that the housing halves prior to locking are located precisely aligned in reference to each other and that the locking bars show lateral shields which in the locked state of the system plug-in connector cover both the bearing pins of the first housing half as well as the locking pins of the second housing half with the respective shields, showing a straight flank between the bearing pin accept and the locking pin. 
     Advantageous embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims. 
     The electric plug-in connector according to the invention comprises two housing halves, which can be locked to each other with the help of two opposite U-shaped locking bars. The particular feature of the locking bar comprises that they show lateral shields which cover the locking-relevant parts, such as bearing pins, latching cams, and latching hooks in the locked state. This way the parts are protected from environmental influences, among other things. 
     Additionally, the locking pins are guided behind the shield into the recesses of the locking pins, allowing a secure and homogenous locking process. 
     In order to avoid any stress of the plug-in modules during the locking process by shearing forces developing, the first housing half shows at least one bar projecting in the plug-in direction, which during the assembly of the two housing halves immerses into a recess of the second housing half provided for this purpose so that the housing halves are precisely aligned in reference to each other. 
     The bar is embodied projecting from the first housing half in the plug-in direction such that during the insertion into the recess of the second housing half stability can be ensured, which otherwise is only given by the use of additional guide pins. 
     This way it is ensured that the housing halves of the plug-in connector are always precisely aligned in reference to each other during the locking process. 
     In order to protect the interior of an electric plug-in connector from media, such as dust and/or water, the first housing half comprises a circumferential collar suitable to accept a sealing ring. 
     The shield of the locking bar forms a straight flank from the latching cam to the bearing pin accept. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the flanks of the opposite locking bars are aligned parallel in reference to each other in the locked state. 
     It is advantageous for the first housing half to show accept or receiving sections for individual plug-in modules. The plug-in modules comprise electric contact elements. In each accept section different plug-in modules with different electric contact elements may be used. 
     The utility patent DE 202005020026 U1 (U.S. published application US 2007/0155252 A1) of the applicant discusses the equipment of a holding frame for electric plug-in connectors with plug-in modules. The content disclosed in this utility patent regarding the plug-in modules is included in the disclosed content of the present invention. 
     Latching cams, which can engage the matching recesses in the plug-in modules, are provided in order to fixate plug-in modules in the accept section of the first housing half  2 . 
     In order to accept plug-in modules in the second housing half, a fastening frame is provided, which in turn shows accepting sections suitable to accept electric contacting elements in the form of separate plug-in modules. 
     In order to fixate the fastening frame in the second housing half, latching cams are provided engaging matching recesses of the second housing half. 
     When assembling the two housing halves, the opposite electric contact elements of the plug-in modules are also electrically contacted with each other. 
     By the ability to equip the electric plug-in connector with different plug-in modules, it can be used in various technical applications. 
     All components of the plug-in connector according to the invention may be produced from plastic. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the locking bar may be made from a different material than the plug-in connection housing halves  2 ,  3 —for example, metal. 
    
    
     
       EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT 
       An exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and explained in greater detail in the following. In the figures: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective illustration of a first housing half of an electric plug-in connector, 
         FIG. 2  shows a top view of a second housing half of the electric plug-in connector, 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of a locking bar of the electric plug-in connector, 
         FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of a fastening frame for plug-in modules for the second housing half, and 
         FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of an electric plug-in connector in the assembled state. 
     
    
    
       FIG. 1  shows the perspective illustration of a first housing half  2  of the electric plug-in connector  1  according to the invention. 
     The first housing half  2  shows an almost rectangular base area, which comprises accepting sections  16  into which plug-in modules can be inserted, not shown here, comprising electric contact elements. The plug-in modules form the plug-in section of the first housing half  2 . 
     Bore holes  28  are inserted into the base area of the housing half  2 . The bore holes are suitable to fasten (for example, via a screw connection) the housing half  2  to a generic component, for example, a machine housing. 
     In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the plug-in modules are inserted into the accepting section  16  of the housing half  2  provided for this purpose along the opposite rails  23 . The accepting sections  16  for the plug-in modules are shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  in dot-dash lines, for example. The plug-in modules can engage latching hooks  19  of the accepting sections  16 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a second housing half  3  of the electric plug-in connector  1 . A separate fastening frame  20  is provided in order to equip the second housing half  3  with plug-in modules which can be latched in the second housing half via latching means  21 .  FIG. 4  shows such a fastening frame  20 . The fastening frame  20  can similarly be equipped with plug-in modules like the first housing half  3 . 
     The first housing half  2  comprises a collar  18 , upon which a sealing ring  10  can be placed, which seals the completely assembled plug-in connection housing  1  from environmental influences, such as dust and moisture. 
     The first housing half  2  comprises bearing pins  12 , which engage the bearing pin recesses  22  ( FIG. 3 ) of the locking bar  8  such that the locking bar is held in an articulate fashion. 
       FIG. 3  shows such a locking bar  8 . The latching cam and the bearing pin recess  22  of the bar  8  are covered by a lateral shield  7 . The shield  7  ends with a straight connection line or a straight flank  17  at the lateral part of the locking bar  8 . The bearing pin recess  22  is embodied deeper than the wall thickness of the lateral parts of the bars  8  such that the bars  8  cannot slip off the bearing pin  12  of the first housing, half  2 . The first housing half  2  comprises at both sides recesses  5  for the lateral parts of the locking bars  8  such that the locking bars  8  are pivotal in the direction of the arrow  27 . 
     At the lateral longitudinal frame of the first housing half  2 , bars  4  are provided, which during the assembly of the housing halves  2 ,  3  are inserted in a form fitting fashion into the accepts, or recesses,  6  of the second housing half  3  provided for this purpose. This way it is ensured that the housing halves are located directly on top of each other prior to the locking process to align the housing halves. The bars  4  and the accepts, or recesses,  6  of the housing halves  2 ,  3  serve for a plug-in guidance of the plug-in modules. The bars  4  engage the accepts  6  when the electric contact elements of the plug-in modules of the individual housing halves are inserted into each other. This way it is ensured that the opposite electric contact elements are not required to compensate shearing forces. This measure reduces the wear and tear of the electric plug-in connector. 
     By pivoting the opposite locking bar  8  in reference to each other (or upwards), the latching cams  9  are guided over the locking pins  13  of the second housing half  3  until the locking pins are located in the recesses  11  of the locking cams  9 . The recess  11  extends in the longitudinal direction of the lateral part of the bar. 
       FIG. 5  shows the locked electric plug-in connector  1 . The flanks  17  of the opposite locking bars are aligned parallel in reference to each other in the locked state. By an opposite pivoting of the locking bars  8  (here downwards), the locking is opened and the housing halves  2 ,  3  can be removed from each other and the plug-in modules can be separated. 
     The second housing half  3  is provided with a dome housing  24  showing a cable outlet  26 . 
     Electric Plug-in Connector with Locking Bar 
     
       
         
           
               
               
             
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 1 
                 System plug-in connector 
               
               
                 2 
                 First housing half 
               
               
                 3 
                 Second housing half 
               
               
                 4 
                 Alignment Bar 
               
               
                 5 
                 Recesses 
               
               
                 6 
                 Recess 
               
               
                 7 
                 Shield 
               
               
                 8 
                 Locking bar 
               
               
                 9 
                 Latching cam 
               
               
                 10 
                 Sealing ring 
               
               
                 11 
                 Recess 
               
               
                 12 
                 Bearing pin 
               
               
                 13 
                 Locking pin 
               
               
                 14 
                 Lateral wall 
               
               
                 15 
                   
               
               
                 16 
                 Accepting section for plug-in module 
               
               
                 17 
                 Flank (of the shield 7) 
               
               
                 18 
                 Collar 
               
               
                 19 
                 Locking hook 
               
               
                 20 
                 Fastening frame 
               
               
                 21 
                 Latching means 
               
               
                 22 
                 Bearing pin accept 
               
               
                 23 
                 Rail 
               
               
                 24 
                 Dome housing 
               
               
                 26 
                 Cable outlet 
               
               
                 27 
                 Pivotal motion/arrow 
               
               
                 28 
                 Bore hole 
               
               
                 B 
                 Wall thickness of the bar 8