Patent Publication Number: US-2022231444-A1

Title: Contact Device and Method for Producing the Contact Device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of German Patent Application No. 102021100806.9 filed on Jan. 15, 2021, the whole disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure relates to an electrical device and in particular, to a contact device having a latching spring. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Contact assemblies typically comprise a contact element installed within a contact housing. For example, prior art contact devices include a contact housing and a contact element, wherein the contact element is secured within the contact housing via a latching spring. Specifically, the latching spring engages into a latching receptacle of the contact housing for securing the contact element therewith. Existing latching springs suffer from several drawbacks including, but not limited to, inadequate strength and/or stiffness, insufficient retention strength, as well as unnecessary size. 
     Accordingly, improved contact devices are desired, as well as improved methods for producing such a contact device. 
     SUMMARY 
     A contact device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a contact housing and a contact element. The contact housing defines a contact receptacle and a latching receptacle opening into the contact receptacle. The contact element includes a contact body arranged within the contact receptacle and extending in a longitudinal direction and adapted to contact a mating contact of a mating contact device, and a latching spring connected to the contact body on a first end and extending along a spring axis into the latching receptacle. The latching spring has a stop inclining obliquely with respect to the spring axis and abutting a face of the latching receptacle and a recess formed through the latching spring at first distance from the stop face. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying Figures, of which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a half longitudinal section through a contact device according to a first embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  shows a detail A, labelled in  FIG. 1 , of the contact device shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  shows a plan view of a latching spring, shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , with a viewing direction B, shown in  FIG. 2 , of the latching spring; 
         FIG. 4  shows a greatly enlarged detail C, labelled in  FIG. 2 , of the sectional view, shown in  FIG. 2 , of the contact device; 
         FIG. 5  shows a greatly enlarged detail C, labelled in  FIG. 2 , of the sectional view, shown in  FIG. 2 , of the contact device under the action of a force F; 
         FIG. 6  shows a sectional view along a section plane D-D, shown in  FIG. 3 , through the latching spring during a first method step; 
         FIG. 7  shows a sectional view along the section plane D-D, shown in  FIG. 3 , through the latching spring shown in  FIG. 3  during a second method step; and 
         FIG. 8  shows the detail A, shown in  FIG. 1 , of a contact device according to a second embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described hereinafter in detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein the like reference numerals refer to the like elements. The present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that the present disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the concept of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. 
     In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing. 
     Reference is made to a coordinate system in the following figures. The coordinate system has an x-axis (longitudinal direction), a y-axis (transverse direction) and a z-axis (vertical direction). The coordinate system is configured, by way of example, as a right-handed system and serves to facilitate understanding. 
       FIG. 1  shows a half longitudinal section through a contact device  10  according to a first embodiment. The contact device  10  is configured, for example, for transmitting data signals. The contact device  10  has, for example, a contact housing  15  and a contact element  20 . The contact housing  15  has a contact receptacle  25  which extends between a first opening  79  and a second opening  84  of the contact housing  15  in the longitudinal direction. The contact receptacle  25  extends substantially, by way of example, in the longitudinal direction over an entire length of the contact housing  15 . The contact housing  15  further has a latching receptacle  30 . 
     The latching receptacle  30  extends in the vertical direction and is arranged above the contact receptacle  25  by way of example in  FIG. 1 . The latching receptacle  30  opens out in the contact receptacle  25 . The latching receptacle  30  is delimited in the x-direction by a first receptacle side face  35  and a second receptacle side face  40 , which is situated opposite in the x-direction. The first receptacle side face  35  and the second receptacle side face  40  adjoin the contact receptacle  25 . 
     The contact element  20  has a contact body  45  and a latching spring  50 . The contact body  45  extends, in its main direction of extent, substantially in the longitudinal direction. The contact body  45  can have, for example, a mating contact receptacle  55  (indicated in dashed lines in  FIG. 1 ) or a plug-in contact (not illustrated in  FIG. 1 ). The mating contact receptacle  55  serves, for example, to receive a mating contact  56  of a mating contact device  57  in order to establish electrical contact between the mating contact  56  and the contact body  45 . By way of example, the mating contact  56  can be inserted into the mating contact receptacle  55  of the contact element  20  via the first opening  79 . 
     The contact body  45  can further have a connection portion  60 , wherein the connection portion  60  is arranged offset with respect to the latching spring  50  in the longitudinal direction by way of example. The connection portion  60  serves to electrically connect the contact element  20  to an electrical conductor of a data cable. For example, the electrical conductor can be crimped or welded to the connection portion  60 . 
     On a side facing away from the connection portion  60  in the x-direction and on a side facing the first opening  79 , on the contact body  45  by way of example the latching spring  50  is connected by way of a fixed end  65  to the contact body  45 . The latching spring  50  extends along a spring axis  70 . The spring axis  70  is arranged obliquely inclined with respect to the x-axis or with respect to an xy-plane. The latching spring  50  projects from the contact receptacle  25  into the latching receptacle  30 . The latching spring  50  and the latching receptacle  30  can have substantially the same extent in the longitudinal direction. 
     During assembly, the contact element  20  is inserted into the contact receptacle  25  via the second opening  84 , until preferably the end side of the contact body  45  stops against a projection  144  of the contact housing  15  at the first opening  79 . 
       FIG. 2  shows a detail A, labelled in  FIG. 1 , of the contact device  10  shown in  FIG. 1 . The latching spring  50  projects into the latching receptacle  30  in an end position of the contact element  20  in the contact housing  15 . The latching spring  50  extends from the fixed end  65  along the spring axis  70  substantially in a straight line. The latching spring  50  is of, for example, plate-like form. The latching spring  50  ends at a free end  75  which is situated opposite the fixed end  65  in the longitudinal direction. The latching spring  50  has an outer side  80  on a side facing away from the contact body  45 , and an inner side  85  on a side facing the contact body  45 . The outer side  80  is substantially of planar form. Similarly, the inner side  85  is substantially of planar form. The latching spring  50  has a stop face  90  at the free end  75 . The stop face  90  connects the outer side  80  to the inner side  85 . The stop face  90 , at an outer edge  95 , adjoins the outer side  80  in the vertical direction. The stop face  90  adjoins the inner side  85  at an inner edge  100 . The stop face  90  extends preferably entirely in a plane obliquely inclined with respect to the spring axis  70 . 
     The latching spring  50  further has an embossed portion  105  on the outer side  80 . The embossed portion  105  is arranged at a predefined first distance a from the stop face  90 , in particular from the outer edge  95 . The embossed portion  105  is of slot-like form and extends in its main direction of extent substantially transversely with respect to the spring axis  70  and therefore substantially in the y-direction. The embossed portion  105  has, by way of example, a triangular profile in the half longitudinal section. A different profile of the embossed portion  105  would also be possible. 
     The embossed portion  105  divides the latching spring  50  into a first spring portion  110  and a second spring portion  115  along the spring axis  70 . The first spring portion  110  extends between the fixed end  65  and the embossed portion  105  along the spring axis  70 . The second spring portion  115  extends between the stop face  90  and the embossed portion  105  along the spring axis  70 . In the first spring portion  110 , the latching spring  50  substantially has a first material thickness d 1  between the inner side  85  and the outer side  80 . The first material thickness d 1  is substantially constant over the first spring portion  110 . 
     A second minimum material thickness d 2  between the inner side  85  and the embossed portion  105  is reduced in relation to the first material thickness d 1 . In particular, the second minimum material thickness d 2  is from 10 percent to 98 percent of the first material thickness d 1  inclusive. A third material thickness d 3  from the embossed portion  105  toward the stop face  90  can decrease in the second spring portion  115 . 
     The latching spring  50  has a maximum total extent  1  along the spring axis  70  between the fixed end  65  and the outer edge  95 . It is particularly advantageous when the predefined first distance a between the embossed portion  105  and the stop face  90 , in particular between the embossed portion  105  and the outer edge  95 , in a direction parallel with respect to the spring axis  70  is between 1 percent and 50 percent, preferably 1 percent and 30 percent, in particular 1 percent and 15 percent, advantageously 3 percent to 50 percent, preferably 3 percent to 30 percent, in particular 3 percent to 15 percent, inclusive of the maximum total extent  1  of the latching spring  50 . 
     In the embodiment, the stop face  90  is arranged obliquely inclined with respect to the first receptacle side face  35  in the state in which the contact element  20  is mounted in the contact housing  15 . Here, by way of example, the fixed end  65  is arranged on a longitudinal side of the latching spring  50  that faces the second receptacle side face  40 . The stop face  90  is, for example, oriented obliquely with respect to the spring axis  70  in such a way that a second distance bA in the longitudinal direction between the outer edge  95  and the first receptacle side face  35  is considerably smaller than a third distance b 1  in the longitudinal direction between the inner edge  100  and a plane in which the first receptacle side face  35  runs. Withdrawal or removal of the contact element  20  in the longitudinal direction via the second opening  84  is prevented by the stop face  90  stopping against the first receptacle side face  35 . In this case, the outer edge  95  firstly comes into physical contact with the first receptacle side face  35 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a plan view of the latching spring  50  with a viewing direction B, shown in  FIG. 2 , of the latching spring  50 . The latching spring  50  is of substantially plate-like form and has, in plan view, a substantially rectangular configuration. The latching spring  50  has a first side face  120  and a second side face  125 , which is arranged opposite the first side face  120  in the transverse direction (y-direction). The first side face  120  and the second side face  125  each extend along the spring axis  70 . In this case, the first side face  120  and the second side face  125  can be oriented parallel with respect to the spring axis  70 . The first side face  120  and the second side face  125  each connect the outer side  80  of the latching spring  50  to the inner side  85 . At the free end  75  of the latching spring  50 , the first side face  120  and the second side face  125  each butt laterally against the stop face  90 . 
     The latching spring  50  has a first maximum transverse extent q 1  in the transverse direction. It is particularly advantageous when the embossed portion  105  has at least one maximum second transverse extent q 2  which is at least 15% to 98% of the first maximum transverse extent q 1 . The embossed portion  105  can also extend continuously on the outer side  80  entirely in the transverse direction over the outer side  80  between the first side face  120  and the second side face  125  (illustrated in dashed lines in  FIG. 3 ). The embossed portion  105  can also extend on the outer side  80  in a segmented manner in the transverse direction over the outer side  80  between the first side face  120  and the second side face  125 , so that the embossed portion  105  is formed from a plurality of partial portions which are arranged spaced apart and next to one another in the y-direction. 
       FIG. 4  shows an enlarged detail C, labelled in  FIG. 2 , of the sectional view, shown in  FIG. 2 , of the contact device  10 . The contact element  20  can be produced from a planar blank  140  by means of a punching process. During the punching process, the stop face  90  is punched out of the blank  140 . A cutting direction of the stop face  90  runs, for example, from the outer side  80  toward the inner side  85 . The result of this is that, during the punching operation, the stop face  90  has a cut portion  130  and a broken portion  135 . The cut portion  130  directly adjoins the outer edge  95  and therefore the outer side  80  in the vertical direction. The broken portion  135  is arranged on a side of the stop face  90  that faces the contact body  45 , and extends between the inner edge  100  and the cut portion  130  in the vertical direction. In contrast to the cut portion  130 , the broken portion  135  is characterized in that a sheet-metal material  150  of the latching spring  50  is broken off during the punching process and as a result differs considerably from the cut portion  130  in which the sheet-metal material  150  of the latching spring  50  is cut and corresponding cut marks are identifiable on the stop face  90 . The cut portion  130  has, owing to its cut structure, a considerably lower degree of roughness than the broken portion  135  and as a result its geometry is particularly well defined. Owing to the cut portion  130 , the outer edge  95  is sharper than the inner edge  100 . 
       FIG. 5  shows a greatly enlarged detail C, labelled in  FIG. 2 , of the sectional view, shown in  FIG. 2 , of the contact device  10  under the action of a force F. Reference will be made to  FIGS. 1 to 5  jointly below. The contact element  20  is held in the circumferential direction in the contact housing  15 . In the longitudinal direction, which runs counter to a plug-in direction S, the end side of the contact element  20  meets the projection  144  at the first opening  79  of the contact housing  15 . 
     In the plug-in direction S, which runs parallel with respect to the x-axis, the mating contact  56  is inserted, for example, into the mating contact receptacle  55  with the force F. As an alternative, the force F can be introduced into the contact element  20  by pulling on the data cable. The force F is, for example, directed substantially parallel with respect to the x-axis (cf.  FIG. 1 ) and from the first opening  79  to the second opening  84 . The force F acting on the contact element  20  is supported on the stop face  90  and the associated first receptacle side face  35  of the contact housing  15  and introduced into the contact housing  15 . As a result, a position of the contact element  20  in the contact receptacle  25  is substantially secured. When the force F is introduced into the latching spring  50 , the stop face  90 , at the outer end  95 , bears against the first receptacle side face  35  at the beginning of the force introduction operation (cf.  FIG. 4 ). The inner edge  100  is arranged at a distance from the first receptacle side face  35 . 
     As the force F increases, the outer edge  95  is pressed into the first receptacle face  35 . In the process, the outer edge  95  cuts into the material of the contact housing  15  on the first receptacle side face  35  (cf.  FIG. 5 ). The stop face  90 , which is oriented obliquely with respect to the x-axis and with respect to the force F, creates a resulting supporting force F z , which acts in the z-direction and is directed away from the contact body  45 . The supporting force F z  has the effect that, at the cut portion  130 , the stop face  90  penetrates the sheet-metal material  150  of the contact housing  15  away from the contact body  45  and a fourth minimum distance w between the inner edge  100  and the contact body  45  increases as the penetration into the sheet-metal material  150  of the contact housing  15  increases (cf.  FIGS. 1 and 5 ). Owing to the physical contact firstly at the outer edge  95  and the stop face  90  sliding outward on the first receptacle side face  35 , the latching spring  50  has a particularly large overlap with the contact housing  15  on the first receptacle side face  35  in the z-direction, so that the force F to be supported by means of the latching spring  50  is particularly high as a result. Here, an overlap is understood to mean that, with projection of the latching spring  50  and the first receptacle side face  35  in the x-direction into a projection plane that is configured as the yz-plane for example, the latching spring  50 , in particular the stop face  90 , and the first receptacle side face  35  overlap in the projection plane. Furthermore, the stop face  90  is prevented from slipping on the first receptacle side face  35 . In addition, a maximum possible force F that can be supported on the first receptacle side face  35  is particularly high as a result. Moreover, the embossed portion  105  reinforces the latching spring  50  at the stop face  90 , so that the force F can be introduced into the first receptacle side face  35  particularly effectively, without the contact housing  15  breaking at the first receptacle side face  35  in the process. 
       FIG. 6  shows a sectional view along the section plane D-D, shown in  FIG. 3 , through the latching spring  50  during a first method step, and  FIG. 7  shows a sectional view along the section plane D-D, shown in  FIG. 3 , through the latching spring  50  shown in  FIG. 3  during a second method step for producing the contact element  20  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     In a first method step (cf.  FIG. 6 ), the blank  140  is punched out of a planar sheet-metal material, for example a thin-walled metal sheet  150 , by means of a tool  145 . In this case, the sheet-metal material  150  is cut such that the outer side  80  of the latching spring  50  forms on the first side, which faces the tool and with which the punching tool comes into physical contact first and first penetrates the sheet-metal material  150 , and the inner side  85  is arranged on the second side, which faces away from the tool  145 . 
     During the punching operation, the tool  145  moves through the sheet-metal material  150  and separates out, for example, a development of the contact body  45  and the latching spring  50  from the sheet-metal material  150 . In so doing, the tool  145  first cuts the cut portion  130  of the stop face  90 , before, as is customary during punching, the broken portion  135  is formed by breaking or tearing the sheet-metal material  150  just before the tool  145  completely penetrates the sheet-metal material  150 . 
     In a second method step (cf.  FIG. 7 ), which follows the first method step, the cut-out blank  140  is placed onto a die  155 . The die  155  is of planar form on the top side. The outer side  80  of the latching spring  50  is arranged on a first side facing the punch  160 . The blank  140  bears, by way of a second side which is situated opposite the first side and forms the future inner side  85  of the latching spring  50 , on the die  155 . The embossed portion  105  is embossed into the outer side  80  of the latching spring  50  using the punch  160 . When the embossed portion  105  is embossed into the latching spring  50 , the sheet-metal material  150  of the latching spring  50  is pushed in the longitudinal direction in the direction of the stop face  90  (illustrated by means of an arrow running in the longitudinal direction in  FIG. 7 ), so that the stop face  90  is plastically deformed and is formed obliquely inclined out of a substantially 90° inclination with respect to the spring axis  70 . In the process, the stop face  90  is displaced on the first side facing away from the die  155 , in particular on the cut portion  130  further in the longitudinal direction. As a result, the stop face  90  is inclined with respect to the spring axis  70 . 
     In a third method step, which follows the second method step, the blank  140  is folded in such a way that the embossed portion  105  is arranged on the outer side  80 , which faces the contact body  45 , of the latching spring  50 . In this case, folding of the latching springs  50  is dispensed with, so that the spring axis  70  runs within the latching spring  50 , in particular within a cross-sectional area, preferably centrally in the cross-sectional area. 
       FIG. 8  shows the detail A, shown in  FIG. 1 , of a contact device  10  according to a second embodiment. The contact device  10  is of substantially identical form to the contact device  10  shown in  FIGS. 1 to 7 . Only the differences in the contact device shown in  FIG. 8  from the contact device  10  shown in  FIGS. 1 to 7  will be discussed below. 
     The latching spring  50  additionally has a retaining portion  165 . The retaining portion  165  laterally adjoins the first side face  120  and is of plate-like form running in an xy-plane. The retaining portion  165  projects beyond the stop face  90  in the longitudinal direction. In this case, the retaining portion  165  extends along the spring axis  70  in a direction facing away from the fixed end  65 . 
     In the assembled state, the latching spring  50  engages by way of the stop face  90  into the latching receptacle  30 , whereas the retaining portion  165  remains in the contact receptacle  25 . In this case, the retaining portion  165 , by way of a third side face  170  facing away the contact body  45 , can bear against an inner edge  175  of the contact housing  15 . The inner edge  175  is formed by a transition between the first receptacle side face  35  and the contact receptacle  25 . The third side face  170  can also bear against the inner side of the contact housing  15 . In this case, the contact between the third side face  170  and the contact housing  15  prevents the latching spring  50  from pivoting outward too far from the contact body  45  or being pushed too far outward when it penetrates the material of the contact housing  15 , as a result of which overloading of the contact housing  15  is avoided. 
     In addition, those areas in which it is believed that those of ordinary skill in the art are familiar, have not been described herein in order not to unnecessarily obscure the invention described. Accordingly, it has to be understood that the invention is not to be limited by the specific illustrative embodiments, but only by the scope of the appended claims. 
     It should be appreciated for those skilled in this art that the above embodiments are intended to be illustrated, and not restrictive. For example, many modifications may be made to the above embodiments by those skilled in this art, and various features described in different embodiments may be freely combined with each other without conflicting in configuration or principle. 
     Although several exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes or modifications may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents. 
     As used herein, an element recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural of the elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments “comprising” or “having” an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property.