Patent Publication Number: US-10770835-B2

Title: Plug connector part having housing body and housing part which together form housing for receiving plug contact element therein

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/EP2018/077853, published in German, with an International filing date of Oct. 12, 2018, which claims priority to DE 10 2017 009 623.6, filed Oct. 17, 2017; the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference herein. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an electrical plug connector part having a housing body and a housing part which together form a housing and further having an electrical plug contact element that is connected to an electrical connection line and has a molded-on detent spring, wherein the housing forms a receiving chamber into which the plug contact element is inserted, the detent spring is engaged on a detent protrusion after the plug contact element is inserted into the receiving chamber, and the housing part can be locked to the housing body and has a locking arm that fixes the plug contact element in the receiving chamber in a form-fit manner in an end-locking position of the housing part. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Such an electrical plug connector part is known from German unexamined patent application DE 10 2008 055 841 A1. This plug connector part has a housing made up of a housing body and a housing part. The housing body has receiving chambers and integrally-formed detent protrusions for fastening plug contact elements that are connected to electrical connection lines. Detent springs of the plug contact elements, which protrude from the plug contact elements in the manner of lances, lock onto the detent protrusions. The housing part is movably mounted onto the housing body, for example via a film hinge, or is attachable as an individual part to a bearing point on the housing body. In any case, the housing part is pivotable relative to the housing body for assembly. This means that until the housing body and the housing part are mutually locked, the housing body and the housing part form an arrangement in which they are slightly movable with respect to one another, which makes handling relatively difficult during assembly. 
     SUMMARY 
     An object is a generic electrical plug connector part having a particularly simple design and assembly. 
     In carrying out at least one of the above and/or other objects, embodiments of the present invention provide an electrical plug connector part. The plug connector part includes a housing body and a housing part which together form a housing. The plug connector part further includes an electrical plug contact element(s) connected to an electrical connection line(s). The plug contact element includes a detent spring (latching spring, engaging spring) formed thereon. The housing forms a receiving chamber(s) into which the plug contact element is introduced. The detent spring is engaged (latched, locked) on a detent protrusion (latching projection, engaging protrusion) after the introduction of the plug contact element into the receiving chamber. The housing part is engageable with the housing body. The housing part has a locking arm(s) which inter-lockingly secures the plug contact element in the receiving chamber in an end-engagement position of the housing part. The housing body and the housing part are arranged such that they can shift relative to one another perpendicularly to the plugging direction of the plug connector part and can be secured to one another in a stable manner in a pre-engagement position and in an end-engagement position. The locking arm forms the detent protrusion, for the detent spring of the plug contact element, on the housing body. 
     In the electrical plug connector part in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, the housing body and the housing part are situated so as to be movable relative to one another perpendicularly to the plug-in direction of the plug connector part and can be stably fixed to one another in a stable, pre-locking (pre-latching, pre-engagement) position and in a stable, end-locking (end-latching, end-engagement) position and the locking arm together with the housing body form a detent protrusion for the detent spring of the plug contact element. 
     In contrast to the plug connector part known from DE 10 2008 055 841 A1, for assembling the plug contact element of the plug connector part in accordance with embodiments of the present invention it is not necessary to attach the housing part to a bearing point or fold the housing part against the housing body. At the time of assembly of the plug contact element, the housing body and the housing part are pre-mounted in a stable pre-locking position with one another. In the pre-locking position, the locking arm, formed by the housing part, together with the housing body forms a detent protrusion on which the plug contact element can engage. 
     With a small external application of force, the housing body and the housing part may be brought into the end-locking position relative to one another, in which the locking arm fixes the plug contact element in the receiving chamber of the housing body in a form-fit manner. 
     The fixing of the plug contact element takes place in that during the transition into its end-locking position, the locking arm moves behind a contact box that is molded onto the plug contact element, thus enclosing the contact box in a receiving chamber of the housing body in a form-fit manner. 
     It is advantageous that the final assembly of the plug contact element in the plug connector part in accordance with embodiments of the present invention takes place in a particularly rapid and simple manner. Since the two housing elements, namely, the housing body and the housing part, are already connected to one another in a pre-locking position when the plug contact element is inserted into the receiving chamber in the housing, the final assembly step consists of a brief application of force by pressing on the circumferential surface of the housing. The two housing elements are thus released from their pre-locking position and mutually brought into their end-locking position; at the same time, the plug contact element is fixed within the housing in a form-fit manner. 
     It is particularly advantageous that the housing elements may be designed in such a way that during this final assembly step, the electrical connection line connected to the plug contact element is at the same time enclosed between the housing elements in a clamping manner. 
     It is also advantageous that the locking arm of the housing part carries out multiple functions here. In the pre-locking position, the locking arm forms a detent protrusion on the housing body that is used for fixing the detent spring of the plug contact element. As a result, such protrusions do not have to be integrally molded on the housing body or provided by moldings on the housing body. This makes the manufacture of the housing body easier and more cost-effective. In the end-locking position, the locking arm fixes the detent spring as well as the contact box of the plug contact element. 
     The plug connector part in accordance with embodiments of the present invention thus allows easy assembly, and at the same time, a particularly simple design of its components. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Advantageous embodiments and refinements of the present invention result from the following description of an exemplary embodiment, with reference to the drawings which show the following: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a sectional view of a plug connector part; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a plug contact element of the plug connector part together with an electrical connection line; and 
         FIGS. 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d , and 3 e    each illustrate a sectional view of the plug connector part during respective assembly phases. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , an electrical plug connector part in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is shown.  FIG. 1  shows a sectional view of the completely assembled plug connector part. The plug connector part includes a housing  10  made up of two housing elements  1 ,  2 . The two housing elements  1 ,  2  are a housing body  1  and a housing part  2 . Housing body  1  and housing part  2  are joined together. Housing body  1  and housing part  2  are arranged such that they can shift relative to one another perpendicular to the plugging direction of the plug connector part and can be secured to one another in a stable manner in a pre-locking position and in an end-locking position. The end-locking position is shown in  FIG. 1 . A receiving chamber  6  is formed inside housing  10 . 
     The plug connector part further includes an electrical plug contact element  3 . Plug contact element  3  is connected to an electrical connection line  4 . Plug contact element  3  is situated in receiving chamber  6  inside housing  10  thus formed. A section  5  of electrical connection line  4 , provided with insulating casing, is led out from housing  10  between housing elements  1 ,  2 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates an individual view of plug contact element  3  with electrical connection line  4  connected thereto. Plug contact element  3  includes a contact box  11 . Contact box  11  has an inwardly bent, strip-shaped contact tongue  18  situated on a front section of plug contact element  3 . The end section of plug contact element  3  situated opposite from contact box  11  is a crimp section  15 . Electrical connection line  4  is mechanically fastened and electrically connected to crimp section  15  via a wire crimp or Litz wire crimp. 
     Plug contact element  3  is designed as a stamped/bent part that is preferably formed in one piece. The upper surface of contact box  11  is formed by a molded-on metal strip  13 . The longitudinal and transverse edges of metal strip  13  are oriented at an angle to one another. As a result, various points of metal strip  13  are situated at different heights above the base surface of plug contact element  3 . The further protruding sections of metal strip  13  may thus be moved by an application of force against the other sections and may deflect due to the elastic connection of metal strip  13  to plug contact element  3 . Metal strip  13  on the upper surface of plug contact element  3  thus forms a detent spring  13  (latching spring, engaging spring). Detent spring  13  is provided for the primary locking of plug contact element  3  in receiving chamber  6  within housing  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , housing part  2  includes a locking arm  7 . Locking arm  7  inter-lockingly secures plug contact element  3  in receiving chamber  6  within housing  10  in the end-locking position. Locking arm  7  forms a detent protrusion  14  on housing body  1 . Detent spring  13  of plug contact element  3  engages on detent protrusion  14  after the introduction of plug contact element  3  into receiving chamber  6 . 
       FIGS. 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d , and 3 e    each illustrate a sectional view of the plug connector part during respective assembly phases. As such,  FIGS. 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , 3 d , and 3 e    illustrate the sequence in the assembly of the plug connector part by joining together housing body  1  and housing part  2  together with plug contact element  3 . 
     As mentioned, housing body  1  and housing part  2  may be positioned with respect to one another in two locking positions, referred to here as the pre-locking position and the end-locking position, perpendicular to the intended plug-in direction of the plug connector part, for which purpose cooperating mechanical detent elements (not discernible in the sectional illustrations of the drawings) are situated on housing body  1  and on housing part  2 . Since their specific configurations are not relevant for understanding the present invention, a more detailed description is dispensed with here. 
     During assembly of plug contact element  3 , housing body  1  and housing part  2  are already connected to one another in their pre-locking position. The pre-locking position, illustrated in  FIGS. 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , and 3 d   , is a first stable arrangement of housing body  1  and housing part  2  relative to one another. The pre-locking position is characterized in that housing body  1  and housing part  2  in the connection direction perpendicular to the intended plug-in direction of the plug connector part are not situated at the closest possible distance from one another. 
     As shown in the sectional view in  FIG. 3 a   , the two housing elements  1 ,  2  form a channel-like, free space  16 . The end of free space  16  forms a receiving chamber  6 . A free end section  17  of locking arm  3  protrudes slightly into free space  16 . 
     Free end section  17  of locking arm  7  forms a hook-like edge. The hook-like edge, together with a correspondingly shaped edge of housing body  1 , forms a barb-like connection  19 . Due to a form-fit connection, barb-like connection  19  prevents housing body  1  from being accidentally disconnected from housing part  2 . 
     Plug contact element  3  together with its contact tongue  18  and its contact box  11  may be pushed forward into free space  16 . Contact box  11  of plug contact element  3  is to be fastened within receiving chamber  6 . When plug contact element  3  is inserted into free space  16 , contact box  11  in  FIG. 3 b    reaches locking arm  7 . 
     Free end section  17  of locking arm  7  forms a detent protrusion  14  (latching protrusion, engaging protuberance) on a wall section of housing body  1  in the direction of receiving chamber  6 . Free end section  17  of locking arm  7  on its side facing away from receiving chamber  6  has a guide bevel  8 . Guide bevel  8  allows detent spring  13 , that is molded onto contact box  11  of plug contact element  3 , to lie closely against contact box  11  while passing by locking arm  7 . Thus, as shown in  FIG. 3 c   , detent spring  13  can slide past free end section  17  of locking arm  7  without being caught on the locking arm. 
     Upon further insertion of plug contact element  3 , detent spring  13  ultimately locks behind detent protrusion  14  formed by locking arm  7 , shown in  FIG. 3 d   . Plug contact element  3  is thus secured within housing  10  against falling out. 
     For a multipole plug connector part, further plug contact elements  3  are similarly inserted into further receiving chambers  6  of housing  10 , depending on the number of poles provided. Each plug contact element  3  is initially held in its receiving chamber  6  by the primarily locking brought about by its detent spring  13 . 
     For a multipole plug connector part, housing part  2  may either have a single wide locking arm  7  that forms parallel detent protrusions  14  on all receiving chambers  6 , or multiple narrow, parallel locking arms  7  may be provided, each of which cooperates with one of receiving chambers  6 . 
     To complete the assembly, housing body  1  and housing part  2  are pressed together by an external application of force, and are thus brought into their end locking position, shown in  FIG. 3 e   . Locking arm  7  thus moves over contact shoulder  12 , which is formed by the end section of contact box  11 , and fixes plug contact element  3  in receiving chamber  6  in a form-fit manner. Thus, due to the fixing of detent spring  13  on the one hand and the fixing of contact box  11  to contact shoulder  12  on the other hand, locking arm  7  brings about primary as well as secondary locking of plug contact element  3 . Both lockings take place within housing  10  in a single locking plane, which advantageously contributes to achieving a particularly compact design of the plug connector part. 
     In the end-locking position illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 3   e , once again stable positioning of housing elements  1 ,  2  relative to one another is achieved, with housing elements  1 ,  2  now forming a compact arrangement with one another. 
     When the end-locking position is reached, an upper section  9  of housing part  2  also closely attaches to an encased section  5  of electrical connection line  4  and presses it against housing body  1 . Electrical connection line  4  is thus fixed between housing elements  1 ,  2  in a force-fit manner. The assembly of the plug connector part is complete when the end-locking position is reached. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         
           
               1  housing body 
               2  housing part 
               1 ,  2  housing elements 
               3  plug contact element(s) 
               4  electrical connection line(s) 
               5  section (of the electrical connection line) 
               6  receiving chamber(s) 
               7  locking arm(s) (bar) 
               8  guide bevel 
               9  upper section (of the housing part) 
               10  housing 
               11  contact box 
               12  contact shoulder 
               13  detent spring (metal strip) 
               14  detent protrusion 
               15  crimp section 
               16  channel-like free space 
               17  end section (of the locking arm) 
               18  contact tongue 
               19  barb-like connection 
           
         
       
    
     While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the present invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the present invention.