Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a continuation application, under 35 U.S.C. §120, of copending international application No. PCT/EP2010/006900, filed Nov. 12, 2010, which designated the United States; this application also claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. §119, of German patent application No. DE 20 2009 015 571.4, filed Nov. 14, 2009; the prior applications are herewith incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to an electrical plug connector having a housing for accommodating electrical conductors. 
     An electrical plug connector is composed generally of connecting contacts which are attached to electrical conductors and which are surrounded by a plug connector housing. The connecting contacts of such a plug connector are embodied as plug contacts or as socket contacts depending on their respective function. For each plug connector there is a further mating plug connector which corresponds in terms of plugging, in order to form a plug-type connector coupling. As a result, a plug connector which is provided with plug contacts forms the plug while a mating plug connector which is provided with socket contacts forms the socket of the plug-type connector coupling. In the assembled state, the plug connector is usually plugged to the complementary mating plug connector. The plug connector and mating plug connector then form an electrically conductive plug-type coupling with one another. 
     Such an electrical plug connector is known, for example, from German patent DE 103 11 507 B4. In this document, electrical conductors are plugged into a cylindrical contact carrier from the rear. From the front, the contact carrier has a certain round plug connector appearance. In order to lock the electrical conductors, pivoting tabs, which are connected to the contact carrier by film hinges, are pivoted in the direction of a line cable which holds the lines together, and are encased by a heat-shrinkable sheath. 
     Whereas, for example in Germany, it is possible owing to the present standardization situation to lay lines in cable ducts with a customary plastic sheath when performing installation in a building, there is a rule, in particular in Anglo-Saxon and Asiatic countries, that a sleeve line, which is also referred to as a conduit, also has to be used. Such conduits may be configured as metal tubes or even plastic tubes, for example in the form of corrugated tubes. 
     There is a problem in that sleeve lines are made available with different outer diameters and/or outer structures, to which a corresponding plug connector has to be assigned. 
     Furthermore, when metal sheaths or metal tubes are used there is frequently a grounding problem and at the same time specifically a connection of the metal sheath to a grounding contact or a metal housing of the plug connector. 
     Hitherto, the grounding in specific plug connectors such as, for example, the so-called GST 18 plug connector from Wieland Electric GmbH is implemented by virtue of the fact that a multi-plug or multi-socket connecting strip was embedded in a metal housing and the metal sheath (conduit) was introduced on the rear side of the metal housing. In this case a housing edge may be provided which produces a grounding connection between a protective conductor connection and the metal sheath by pressure. Since nowadays efforts are also made increasingly to use plastic housings for the plug connectors in order to fabricate them through large-scale manufacture, the metal sheath becomes increasingly difficult to ground. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is based on the object of specifying an electrical plug connector which can be used in as versatile a fashion as possible and which permits simple and reliable grounding in conjunction with a metal sheath. 
     Accordingly, an electrical plug connector is provided with a separate adaptor part which encloses the sleeve line within the housing. The adaptor part has an outer contour which is matched to the inner contour of the housing. In addition, the adaptor part has an inner structure for connecting the sleeve line (conduit) which serves to encase the conductors. 
     The housing of the electrical plug connector is always the same. This permits consistently identical dimensions of the outer diameter and of the outer contour of the adaptor part. For different sleeve lines all that is then necessary is to make available a number of adaptors with a different, matched inner diameter or correspondingly adapted inner structure. As a result, the electrical plug contact is always the same, while all that is necessary is to make available different adaptor parts for different sleeve lines. In this way, the plug connector according to the invention is suitable for a large number of different sleeve lines. This gives rise to a considerable reduction in individual parts which have to be kept in stock and to a saving in terms of material. 
     The outer diameter of the adaptor part is matched to the inner diameter of the housing. In addition, the adaptor part has outer contour elements and the housing has inner contour elements which are complementary thereto. In this context, the housing of the electrical plug connector preferably completely accommodates the adaptor part. In the assembled state the housing and the adaptor part are advantageously connected to one another in a form locking and suitably rotationally secured fashion. 
     In one preferred refinement, the inside of the adaptor part has structure elements which are configured to be complementary to the sleeve line accommodated therein. In addition, the adaptor part has an inner diameter which is matched to the outer diameter of the respective sleeve line. 
     As a result of the configuration of the adaptor part with a corresponding inner structure and surface contour as well as with an outer diameter and an inner diameter which are matched, on the one hand, to the housing and on the other hand, to the sleeve line, it is possible, for example in the case of a corrugated tube as the conduit, to form a form locking connection which ensures that a corrugated tube remains in an adaptor part even under stress, such as for example tensile stress. For less rough surface structures and surface contours, such as for example macrocontours or microcontours, or even smooth surfaces it is advantageously possible to implement a form locking connection between the surfaces of the adaptor part and of the sleeve line which are to be connected. In particular, a particularly well secured connection is brought about with complete enclosure of the adaptor part by the housing of the plug connector and of the sleeve line by the adaptor. 
     In one particularly advantageous refinement, the electrical plug connector has a contact carrier part and a housing which is formed from two housing half-shells. The housing half-shells are joined to form the housing with latching hooks and latching openings which lock one in the other. In addition, the contact carrier part has a number of openings which correspond to the number of conductor-end-side connecting contacts. The latching hooks are preferably arranged on the housing half-shells in such a way that the latching hook of the one half-shell and the latching opening of the other half-shell lying radially opposite latch to one another. This refinement ensures a particularly secure and fixed connection as well as simple assembly of the parts of the electrical plug connector. In addition, separate connecting elements such as, for example, screws, are dispensed with. 
     A further embodiment of the invention is matched to the use of coiled or corrugated-tube-like sleeve lines (conduits). The sleeve line which is embodied as a corrugated tube is inserted here into a single-piece adaptor part. The adaptor part has for this purpose a hollow-cylindrical accommodation space. The sleeve line lies in this hollow-cylindrical accommodation space in such a way that the outer casing of the sleeve line bears against the inner faces of the outer walls of the hollow-cylindrical accommodation space. In a further preferred embodiment, a supporting cylinder projects into the accommodation space at a lateral distance from the outer wall of the accommodation space, which distance corresponds to the outer wall of the adaptor part. The outer face of this supporting cylinder is at such a lateral distance from the inner face of the outer wall that a slit-like gap is formed between the outer wall and the supporting cylinder. This gap forms an accommodation pocket for the sleeve line. In this way, the sleeve line lies in this accommodation pocket supported by the supporting cylinder. The supporting cylinder projects into the sleeve line here in the manner of a collar. 
     In order to secure the sleeve line in the adaptor part, the adaptor part is penetrated by a fork-like clamp. The fork-like clamp penetrates through the outer wall of the adaptor part and engages with its fork-like projections in a “thread turn” or a corrugation valley of the outer casing, which is coiled or embodied in the manner of a corrugated tube, of the sleeve line. If the sleeve line is metallic, the fork-like securing clamp can perform the double function of the securing clamp, on the one hand, and of the grounding contact, on the other. 
     In a further refinement, the adaptor part also contains two adaptor half-shells. For their part, these preferably have in turn complementary latching elements. The adaptor half-shells are coupled in an articulated fashion to an annular securing element of the adaptor part, for example by integrally formed-on film hinges. In this context, the securing element expediently has two flat sides which lie opposite one another and to which the adaptor half-shells are coupled in an articulated fashion. In the assembled state, the latching elements, lying opposite one another, of the adaptor half-shells are latched to one another, while the adaptor half-shells preferably terminate in a flush fashion with the securing element. The coupling of the adaptor half-shells in an articulated fashion to the securing element ensures that the latching elements are joined fitting one into the other. The adaptor part therefore constitutes an enclosed component. 
     In a further refinement, the electrical plug connector has means of accommodating a grounding contact, preferably in the form of a narrow strip of sheet metal. The adaptor part has in this embodiment a connecting opening, for example in the form of an assembly slot, through which the grounding contact engages. The grounding contact is expediently provided at one end with claws which can be bent over and which engage in a comb-like fashion in the outer structure of the then electrically conductive sleeve line. The strip of sheet metal which is provided with grooves or depressions engages in a form locking fashion in the coiled outer casing of the sleeve line. The grounding contact can also protrude over the end side of the sleeve line and form a contact lug and projects into the housing. In the assembled state, the grounding contact can additionally be pressed onto the sleeve line. In particular, a secure and enduring grounding connection of the grounding contact to the sleeve line is ensured by the locking and pressing on. In addition, the claws of the grounding contact can prevent undesired rotation of the sleeve line with respect to the housing of the electrical plug connector. 
     The advantages achieved with the invention consist, in particular, in the fact that the use of an adaptor part for connecting the sleeve line to an electrical plug connector allows the same plug connector to be used in all cases. For the accommodation of different sleeve lines with different diameters and outer structures all that is necessary is to make available an adaptor part which is matched thereto on the inside. In addition, the adaptor part can serve as a carrier of a grounding contact. This grounding contact forms a grounding connection to a metallic housing part, in particular a metallic housing half-shell or an additional grounding contact of the plug connector in the case of a plastic housing part. The adaptor part can also be at least partially electrically conductive and therefore completely or partially perform the grounding function. 
     Throughout the application there is use of the phrase form-locking connection. A form-locking connection is one that connects two elements together due to the shape of the elements themselves (e.g. a ball and socket), as opposed to a force-locking connection, which locks the elements together by force external to the elements (e.g. a screw connection providing the external force). 
     Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. 
     Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in an electrical plug connector, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. 
     The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic, perspective view of an electrical plug connector, showing a view into a housing half-shell with an adaptor part which lies therein and engages around a sleeve line with securing element conductors according to the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view according to  FIG. 1  of the electrical plug connector, showing a view into the housing half-shell with a grounding contact which engages through a securing element; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the adaptor part with two folded-over adaptor half-shells and the grounding contact which engages in the sleeve line; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view according to  FIG. 3  of the adaptor part with two semi-enclosed adaptor half-shells and with the grounding contact which engages in the sleeve line; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view, showing an end side of the enclosed adaptor part with a grounding contact projecting out and with the adaptor half-shells which are coupled in an articulated fashion to the securing element and enclose the sleeve line; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective, exploded view of a further embodiment of the adaptor with a sleeve line which is to be connected thereto; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the adaptor part illustrated in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the adaptor part which is illustrated in  FIG. 7  and has an inserted sleeve line and partially inserted securing clamp; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view according to  FIG. 8  with a completely inserted securing clamp; and 
         FIG. 10  is a sectional view through the adaptor and the sleeve line with the securing clamp completely inserted. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Parts which correspond to one another are provided with the same reference symbols in all the figures. 
     Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to  FIG. 1  thereof, there is shown an electrical plug connector  1  having a contact carrier part  2  illustrated in a perspective view. The contact carrier part  2  has socket contact openings  3  at the end side and conductors  4  leading to the socket contact openings  3 . A housing half-shell  5  has a latching opening  6  and a latching hook  7  lying radially opposite the latter. The latching hook  7  latches with the latching opening  6  of a complementary, second housing half-shell  5  (not illustrated here). The housing half-shells  5  accommodate the contact carrier part  2  between them and in the assembled state they form, in conjunction with the contact carrier part  2 , the housing of the electrical plug connector  1 . In this context, cylindrical shell sections  8  of the housing half-shells  5  enclose a carrier shaft  10  of the contact carrier part  2  while bearing against a securing collar  9  of the contact carrier part  2 . A further latching hook  11 , which faces the shell section  8  and is spaced apart from the other latching hook  7 , latches with a latching window  12  (not visible here) of the respective other housing half-shell  5 . 
     On the end side, lying opposite the socket contact openings  3 , of the plug connector  1 , the housing half-shells  5  accommodate an adaptor part  13 . The adaptor part  13  contains two flange-like circumferential collars  14  which are spaced apart from one another. The latter engage in two complementary housing grooves  15 , on the inside of the housing, of the housing half-shells  5 . The adaptor part  13  therefore has on the outside an outer contour which is matched to the inner contour of the housing half-shells  5 . In addition, the outer diameter of the adaptor part  13  is matched to the inner diameter of the housing in the region of the enclosed housing half-shells  5 . The adaptor part  13  therefore lies in a form-locking fashion in the housing  5  of the electrical plug connector  1 . The adaptor part  13  encloses a sleeve line (conduit)  16  which is a coiled or a corrugated-tube-shape in the exemplary embodiment, the sleeve line  16  in turn enclosing the conductors  4 . 
       FIG. 2  illustrates in perspective the plug connector  1  with the socket contact openings  3 , the conductors  4 , the housing half-shell  5 , the latching opening  6  and the latching hooks  7 ,  11 . The adaptor part  13  has here merely a securing element  13   a . The latter is provided with a continuous slot  17  through which a grounding contact  18  engages. The securing element  13   a  supports or forms the securing collar  14  which engages in the housing groove  15  facing the socket contact openings  3 . The securing element  13   a  in turn engages around the sleeve line  16  and rests on the sleeve line  16  on the end side. 
     As is comparatively clearly apparent in  FIGS. 3 to 5 , a contact lug  19  of the grounding contact  18  projects beyond the securing element  13   a  of the adaptor part  13 , and on the side facing away from the sleeve line  16  the contact lug  19  projects into the housing  5  of the electrical plug connector  1 . The grounding contact  18  has comb-like securing and/or contact claws  20 . These are provided at the contact end, lying opposite the contact lug  19 , of the grounding contact  18 . With each second contact claw  20 , the grounding contact  18  engages in corresponding corrugation valleys  21 , while the securing claws  20  which alternate with the latter rest on corrugation peaks  22  of the sleeve line  16 , preferably while applying a pressure force. 
     The grounding contact  18  permits an electrically conductive connection of the then electrically conductive sleeve line  16 , which is embodied, for example, as a metal tube for this purpose, with a grounding contact  23  ( FIG. 1 ) and/or with the then metallic or electrically conductive housing half-shells  5  ( FIG. 2 ) of the electrical plug connector  1 . As a result of the locking of the securing or contact claws  20  of the grounding contact  18  in the corresponding surface structure of the sleeve line  16 , the sleeve line  16  is also secured against rotation. 
     The adaptor part  13  has two adaptor half-shells  13   b  and  13   c . The latter are coupled in an articulated fashion to the securing element  13   a  via film hinges  13   d  ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ) and therefore, as is shown in  FIGS. 3 to 5 , they can be pivoted against the sleeve line  16  and latched to one another in the closed state. For this purpose, the cylindrical half-shells  13   b ,  13   c  of the adaptor part  13  have latching hooks  24  and corresponding latching webs  25  on the opposite side. In the latched state according to  FIG. 5 , the latching hook  24  of the one half-shell  13   b  engages behind the latching web  25  of the other half-shell  13   c . The latching hooks  24  of the half-shell  13   b  engages correspondingly behind the latching web  25  of the half-shell  13   b . The securing element  13   a  is embodied with corresponding flat sides onto which the film hinges  13   d  and the adaptor half-shells  13   b  and  13   c  are integrally formed. 
     The adaptor half-shells  13   b ,  13   c  and therefore the adaptor part  13  itself have circumferential webs  26  which run around on the inside. In the assembled state according to  FIG. 5 , the circumferential webs  26  engage in the corrugation valleys  21  of the sleeve line  16 . As a result, the inner structure of the adaptor part  13  is matched to the outer structure of the sleeve line  16 . In addition, the inner diameter of the adaptor part  13  is matched as free of play as possible to the outer diameter of the sleeve line  16  when the adaptor half-shells  13   b ,  13   c  are closed. The formation of the form-locking connection between the adaptor part  13  and the sleeve line  16  by the circumferential webs  26  on the inside causes the sleeve line  16  to be reliably secured by the adaptor part  13 . As a result of the form-locking securement of the adaptor part  13  in the housing  5  of the electrical plug connector  1 , the sleeve line  16  is securely held on the adaptor part  13 , wherein the adaptor part  13  is effective as a tensile strain relief. 
     The adaptor part  13  is always the same in terms of its outer diameter and its outer structure. For the purpose of adaption to different sleeve lines  16  with different outer diameters and outer structures, the adaptor part  13  is merely embodied in a correspondingly different way on the inside. Therefore, for different sleeve lines  16  all that is necessary is to make available correspondingly matched adaptor parts  13 , while the electrical plug connector  1  is otherwise always the same. 
     The further embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 6  to  FIG. 10  shows the adaptor part  13  without the contact carrier part  2 . This embodiment is also to be understood such that in order to implement the electrical plug connector the adaptor part  13  is in turn inserted into the contact carrier part  2 . The adaptor part  13  which is illustrated in  FIG. 6  has outer ribs  27  on its outer casing. The adaptor part  13  has a hollow-cylindrical accommodation space  28 . A supporting cylinder  29  projects into the hollow-cylindrical accommodation space  28 . In a radial direction  30  of the adaptor part  13 , the supporting cylinder  29  is at a lateral distance from the inner face of an outer wall  31  of the adaptor part  13 . This lateral distance in the radial direction  30  between the outer face of the supporting cylinder  29  and the inner face of the outer wall  31  of the adaptor part  13  serves to form an accommodation pocket  32  for the sleeve line  16  in the adaptor part  13 . 
     In order to assemble the adaptor part  13  according to  FIG. 6  to  FIG. 10 , the sleeve line  16  is first inserted into an accommodation pocket  32  in the axial direction  33  of the adaptor part  13 . As soon as the sleeve line  16  lies completely in the accommodation pocket  32  ( FIGS. 8-10 ), a fork-like securing clamp  34  is inserted in the radial direction  30  into the adaptor part  13  through a continuous slot  17 ′ in the outer wall of the adaptor part  13 . The fork projections  35  of the fork-like securing clamp  34  engages, in the final assembled state, in one of the corrugation valleys  21  of the sleeve line  16  which is configured as a corrugated tube. The fork-like securing clamp  34  also has the contact lug  19  which is bent over in an angled shape in the axial direction  33  away from the fork projections  34 . In the case of a metallic sleeve line  16 , the contact lug  19  serves at the same time as a grounding contact, as do the fork projections  35  which engage on the sleeve line  16 . 
     The sleeve line  16  is secured in a form-locking fashion to the adaptor part  13  with the aid of the fork projections  35  of the securing clamp  34  which engages in the corrugation valley  21  which is aligned with the fork projections  35  in the radial direction  30 . In this context, the supporting cylinder  29  increases the rigidity of the sleeve line  16  from the inside and forms a collar-like securing flange for the sleeve line  16  on the adaptor part  13 .

Technology Category: 5