Patent Publication Number: US-11658437-B2

Title: Holding frame comprising a fixing element held in a movable manner

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The disclosure relates to a holding frame for plug connector modules. The disclosure furthermore relates to a method for equipping a holding frame with at least one plug connector module and a method for removing at least one plug connector module from a holding frame. 
     Holding frames of the aforementioned type serve for holding plug connector modules, wherein the holding frame is equipped with different plug connector modules and then inserted into a plug connector housing and screwed to the latter. The holding frame here has to be mechanically stable to enable it to withstand the insertion and withdrawal forces which arise during the respective joining and separation of the plug connection. 
     Description of the Related 
     A holding frame for plug connector modules is disclosed in DE 197 07 120 C1. The holding frame comprises two halves which are connected to one another via a joint. Latching hooks of the plug connector modules engage in cut-outs in the lateral surfaces of the respective halves. The joint or the end joints are arranged in the fastening ends of the holding frame. When the holding frame is screwed to a fastening surface, the frame parts are aligned such that the lateral parts of the holding frame are aligned at a right angle to the fastening surface. The plug connector modules are thus secured in the holding frame. 
     The holding frame in DE 197 07 120 C1 does not have a clearly defined open position for equipping the holding frame with plug connector modules. This sometimes results in a somewhat awkward assembly, in particular for inexperienced users. 
     To successfully equip the holding frame with plug connector modules, it has to be brought into a closed state or into a closed position so that the plug connector modules are secured. For the closed state of the holding frame of the prior art, there is no secured closed state or secured closed position, which means that the holding frame can inadvertently open, thereby enabling the modules to fall out of their anchorage. 
     Using a purely jointed connection, there is no defined electrical contact between the halves of the holding frame. The holding frame can therefore not be used for grounding purposes. 
     CN 104 466 562 A discloses a holding frame which comprises two halves which can be put together. The halves can be joined together via a linear guide and then secured to one another in a closed position with the aid of a separate securing means. CN 202 352 910 U likewise discloses a holding frame which comprises two halves which can be put together. The halves can be joined together linearly and then secured to one another in a closed position with the aid of a separate securing means. In the case of these modules, there is always the risk that the separate securing means can get lost in particular with repeated use. 
     DE 10 2015 101 433 B3 discloses a holding frame which comprises four individual parts, two lateral parts and two end parts. The holding frame is very stable but has to be put together in a time-consuming manner to be equipped with plug connector modules. 
     CN 202 084 755 U discloses a holding frame which comprises two halves connected to one another in a jointed manner. The joint can be secured in a closed position via a lock screw. However, this variant is tricky to handle since the holding frame equipped with plug connector modules has to be secured manually until the screws are tightened. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide a holding frame which is easy to handle and versatile. 
     The holding frame according to an embodiment of the invention is provided to be equipped with at least one plug connector module. The holding frame is then generally incorporated in a plug connector housing. 
     The holding frame substantially comprises two halves which can be connected to one another, a first half and a second half. The halves have approximately the form of an angled profile or an angled plate and each have a lateral surface and a cover surface. 
     The holding frame has at least one first blocking element, whereby the halves can be secured to one another in a closed position. According to an embodiment of the invention, the blocking element is arranged at one end of the holding frame in the region of a jointed connection of the two halves. The jointed connection is explained in more detail below. 
     The at least one blocking element is movably held or movably mounted on the first half or on the second half in a captive manner. A locking state can be realized in a simple manner by a movable, but captively fastened, blocking element. 
     In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the holding frame can also have two blocking elements located at the end. 
     The blocking element is preferably displaceably or rotatably or pivotably held on the first half or on the second half. As a result of the movability of the blocking element, the holding frame can be easily brought from a locked state into an unlocked state. 
     In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the blocking element has two protruding fingers, a first finger and a second finger. At least one latching hook is integrally formed on the end of the first finger. The first half and the second half can be latched to one another in a closed position via the latching hook(s). 
     The holding frame advantageously has a so-called grounding socket, which is integrally formed on the first half. The blocking element is ideally held on the grounding socket in a displaceable and in particular captive manner. The grounding socket protrudes approximately perpendicularly from a cover surface of one half of the holding frame. The blocking element could, for example, be displaceably mounted on the grounding socket on a sliding rail. The blocking element could then be displaceable in a perpendicular direction to the cover surface of the other half and engage for example in the cover surface of the other half for latching purposes. 
     In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the latching hook(s) of the first finger can latch on an edge of the cover surface of the second half. The second finger can be supported on the cover surface of the second half. The holding frame can thus be secured in a closed position. The cover surface of the second half is effectively secured between the first and the second finger of the blocking element. The jointed connection of the two halves is thus blocked. 
     The second half preferably has a beveled unlocking edge into which a tool can engage for releasing a securing state of the closed position of the holding frame. A slotted screwdriver is a suitable tool here. With the aid of the screwdriver, the blocking element can be pried out of the latching position, whereby the jointed connection of the two halves of the holding frame is released again. 
     The holding frame proposed here is equipped with plug connector modules according to a particular method: 
     The holding frame is firstly brought or transferred into an open position. 
     An open position means that the halves are positioned at an angle other than 180° with respect to one another along the line of separation. It could also be said that the cover surfaces of the two halves enclose such an angle together. The angle is preferably between 130° and 170°. An angle between 155° and 165° has also proven to be particularly advantageous. In this angled position of the halves, the plug connector modules can be inserted into the holding frame particularly easily. 
     At least one plug connector module is then inserted into the open holding frame. However, the holding frame is generally filled with a plurality of plug connector modules depending on the number of receiving spaces. 
     When the plug connector modules are inserted, the holding frame is brought or transferred into a closed position. In the closed position, the halves or the cover surfaces thereof assume an angle of approximately 180° or precisely 180° with respect to one another. The halves are therefore parallel to one another in the closed position. 
     The holding frame is finally locked in the closed position with the aid of a blocking element fastened to the holding frame in a captive manner. 
     The method proposed here for equipping a holding frame with plug connector modules is advantageously carried out with embodiments of the holding frame disclosed herein. 
     The removal of at least one plug connector module from a holding frame proceeds as follows: 
     a tool firstly engages in an unlocking edge of the holding frame. The tool is generally a slotted screwdriver, which virtually any technician has; 
     the unlocking of the holding frame then takes place by the tool being inserted into the unlocking edge, for example by prying out a latched blocking element described above; 
     the holding frame is subsequently transferred into an open position; and 
     at least one plug connector module is finally removed from the open holding frame. All plug connector modules are generally removed and can be replaced by new plug connector modules as described above. 
     The removal, described here, of plug connector modules from a holding frame also functions ideally with embodiments of the holding frame disclosed herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in more detail below. In the drawings: 
         FIG.  1    shows a perspective illustration of a holding frame in a closed and latched position; 
         FIG.  2    shows a perspective illustration of a holding frame in an open position; 
         FIG.  3    shows a perspective illustration of a holding frame in a closed and unlatched position; 
         FIG.  4    shows a perspective illustration of a holding frame in a closed and latched position with integrated plug connector modules; 
         FIG.  5    shows a side view of a blocking element; 
         FIG.  6    shows a perspective view of the blocking element; and 
         FIG.  7    shows a further perspective view of the blocking element. 
     
    
    
     The figures contain partially simplified schematic illustrations. Identical reference numerals are sometimes used for elements which are similar but possibly not identical. Different views of similar elements can be drawn to different scales. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG.  1    shows the perspective illustration of a holding frame  1  which is in a closed position. The holding frame  1  substantially comprises two halves  4 ,  5 , which are connected to one another via a joint. To this end, one half  5  has a joint head  11  on the respective end faces, which joint head  11  engages in a joint receiving means  12  (e.g., joint receiving cavity) provided for this purpose in the opposite half  4 . This is referred to as a jointed connection of the two halves  4 ,  5  of the holding frame  1 . 
     The respective halves  4 ,  5  have a lateral surface  2 ,  2 ′ and a cover surface  3 ,  3 ′. In the closed position of the holding frame  1 , the cover surfaces  3 ,  3 ′ are at an angle of 180° with respect to one another. The cover surfaces  3 ,  3 ′ are then located in a plane. 
     The holding frame  1  has a grounding socket  24 , in which a pin (not shown) of an opposite holding frame (not shown) can engage. A rail  13  is integrally formed on the grounding socket  24 . The blocking element  7  has a receiving means, by way of which the blocking element  7  is held on the rail  13  in a displaceable and captive manner. The rail  13  is designed to be approximately trapezoidal. The receiving means of the blocking element  7  is correspondingly designed to match said rail. The blocking element  7  can be displaced along the rail  13  in the direction of the cover surface  3 . 
     The blocking element  7  has two fingers  8 ,  9  which are aligned in the direction of the cover surface  3 . The first finger  8  is designed to be longer than the second finger  9 . The first finger  8  has a latching hook  10  at the end. 
     In the closed position of the holding frame  1  ( FIGS.  1  and  4   ), the latching hook  10  of the first finger  8  latches on or behind an edge of the cover surface  3  of the second half  5 . At the same time, the second finger  9  of the blocking element  7  is supported on the cover surface  3  of the second half  5 . The second half  5  can therefore no longer be moved relative to the first half  4 . The holding frame  1  can thus be secured in a closed position. 
     To enable the closed position to be unlocked again, an unlocking edge  6  extending downwards at an angle has been integrally formed in the cover surface  3  of the second half  5 . A slotted screwdriver can engage here for example and pry the blocking element  7  out of the latching state. The jointed connection of the holding frame  1  is then released again. The holding frame  1  can be opened, the plug connector modules  19  removed or new plug connector modules  19  incorporated. 
     The blocking element is shown in various different illustrations in  FIGS.  5  to  7   . The blocking element  7  has a semi-cylindrical holding region  14  which at least partially comprises the grounding socket  24  of the first half  4 . A trapezoidal groove  15  is integrally formed in the holding region  14 , which groove  15  is designed to precisely match the rail  13  integrally formed on the grounding socket  24 . The system of groove  15  and rail  13  enables a sliding movement of the blocking element  7  in the direction of the double-headed arrow  16 . 
     The blocking element  7  has an inner first finger  8  which is provided with a latching hook  10  at the end. The latching hook  10  acts on the cover surface  3  of the second half  5  when the holding frame  1  is in a closed position. The outer, second finger  9  of the blocking element  7  is designed to be somewhat shorter than the first finger  8  and—in the closed position of the holding frame  1 —is supported on the cover surface  3  of the second half  5 . The fingers  8  and  9  are aligned substantially perpendicularly to the cover surface  3  of the second half  5 . The cover surface  3  is thus clamped between the fingers  8  and  9  and thus blocked. The holding frame  1  is secured in the closed position. 
     A recess  17  is incorporated in the end region of the second finger  9 . A tool can engage in this recess  17  and, interacting with the unlocking edge  6  integrally formed in the second half  5 , can pry the blocking element  7  out of the latching position, whereby the jointed connection of the holding frame  1  is released again and the holding frame  1  can be transferred back into an open position. 
     Plug connector modules  19  have been known for a long time and are described for example in DE 197 07 120 C1. The plug connector modules  19  are provided with protruding, approximately rectangular holding means  20  and resilient latching hooks  21 . Cut-outs or recesses  23  which are formed as fully enclosed openings and into which the holding means  20  of the plug connector modules  19  extend when the plug connector modules  19  are inserted in the holding frame  1 , are provided in the lateral parts  2 ,  2 ′ of the halves  4 ,  5 . 
     To insert the plug connector modules  19 , the holding frame  1  is opened as can be seen in  FIG.  2    so that the plug connector modules  19  can be inserted. To pre-secure the plug connector modules  19 , the latching hooks  21  firstly reach below the lower edges of the lateral parts  22  of the halves  4 ,  5  during insertion. 
     The frame halves  4 ,  5  are then brought into a closed position as can be seen in  FIG.  1   , wherein the holding means  20  of the plug connector modules  19  arrive in the cut-outs or recesses  23  and a reliable form-fitting holding of the plug connector modules  19  in the holding frame  1  is effected. 
     According to one embodiment, the blocking element  7  advantageously consists of an electrically conductive material. The same generally applies to the two halves  4 ,  5  of the holding frame  1 . The halves  4 ,  5  can be reliably connected to one another, or in contact with one another, in an electrically conductive manner via the blocking element  7  so that the holding frame  1  can also be used for grounding purposes. 
     In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.