Secondary securing means, electrical plug connector and electrical plug connection

Abstract

A secondary securing means for locking an electrical plug connection of a first electrical plug connector and a mating plug connector includes a securing element and a plug-in prevention means. By a closing movement, the securing element can be moved from a preliminary latching position into a locking position in which the securing element mechanically secures the plugged plug connection. The securing element is operatively connected to the plugging prevention means in such a way that, during the closing movement of the securing element, the plug-in prevention means can be moved from a home position in which the plugging prevention means blocks a complete insertion of the mating plug connector into the first plug connector, to a clearing position in which the plug-in prevention means clears the displacement path between the mating plug connector and the first plug connector complete insertion of the mating plug connector into the first plug connector The plug-in prevention means moving from the home position into the clearing position by rotation about an axis of rotation or along a support element.

Claims

1. A secondary securing means for locking an electrical plug-in connection of a first electrical plug-in connector and a mating electrical plug-in connector, which mating electrical mating plug-in connector inserts along a displacement path into the first electrical plug-in connector, said secondary securing means comprising: a securing element and a plug-in prevention means, the securing element being movable, by a closing movement, from a preliminary latching position to a locking position, the locking position being a position in which the securing element mechanically secures the first electrical plug-in connector to the mating electrical plug-in connector to lock the electrical connection with the mating electrical plug-in connector inserted completely into the first electrical plug-in connector, the securing element being operatively connected to the plug-in prevention means in such a way that, during the closing movement, the plug-in prevention means is movable from a home position to a clearing position, the home position being a position, in which the plug-in prevention means blocks complete insertion of the mating electrical plug-in connector into the first electrical plug-in connector the clearing position being a position in which in which the plug-in prevention means clears the displacement path to allow complete insertion of the mating electrical plug-in connector into the first electrical plug-in connector, the plug-in prevention means being movable from the home position to the clearing position by a rotational movement of the plug-in prevention means.

2. A secondary securing means as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plug-in prevention means clears the displacement path by being moved radially outward from a center axis of the first electrical plug-in connector.

3. A secondary securing means as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the first electrical plug-in connector has a housing which includes a supporting element and wherein the rotational movement of the plug-in prevention means is a movement along the supporting element.

4. A secondary securing means as claimed in claim 1, wherein the closing movement of the securing element is a linear movement.

5. A secondary securing means as claimed in claim 4, wherein the closing movement of the securing element is orthogonal to an insertion direction in which the mating electrical plug-in connector inserts into the first electrical plug connector.

6. A secondary securing means as claimed in claim 1 wherein, the rotational movement of the plug-in prevention means is a rotational movement about a rotational axis.

7. An electrical plug-in connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein the rotation axis is orthogonal to an insertion direction in which the mating plug-in connector inserts into the electrical plug-in connector.

8. An electrical plug-in connector for connection to an electrical mating plug-in connector which inserts into the electrical plug-in connector by way of a displacement path, said electrical plug-in connector comprising: a housing and a plug-in prevention means, the plug-in prevention means being movable between a home position and a clearing position, the home position being a position at which the plug-in prevention means blocks complete insertion of the mating plug-in connector into the electrical plug-in connector, the clearing position being a position at which the plug-in prevention means clears the displacement path allowing complete insertion of the mating plug-in connector into the electrical plug-in connector, the plug-in prevention means being movable from the home position to the clearing position by a rotational movement of the plug-in prevention means, the electrical plug-in connector further comprising an electrical external conductor which has a Koshiri ring.

9. An electrical plug-in connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein in the home position the plug-in prevention means is supported on the external conductor.

10. An electrical plug-in connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein, the rotational movement of the plug-in prevention means is a rotational movement about a rotational axis and wherein the rotational axis is formed by a rotary joint of the housing of the plug-in connector.

11. An electrical plug-in connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein the rotation axis is parallel to an insertion direction in which the mating plug-in connector inserts into the electrical plug-in connector.

12. An electrical plug-in connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein the plug-in prevention means forms, together with a securing element, a secondary securing means for locking an electrical plug-in connection which electrical plug-in connection consists of the electrical plug-in connector a mating electrical plug-in connector.

13. A secondary securing means as claimed in claim 8, wherein, the rotational movement of the plug-in prevention means is a rotational movement about a rotational axis.

14. An electrical plug-in connector as claimed in claim 8, wherein the housing of the electrical plug-in connector includes a supporting element, the plug-in prevention means has a stop head for blocking the complete insertion of the mating electrical plug-in connector into the electrical plug-in connector and wherein the plug-in prevention means also has a deformable spring arm which extends from the stop head toward the supporting element.

15. An electrical plug-in connector as claimed in claim 14, wherein, the electrical plug-in connector has a housing which includes a recess and the recess has an edge which forms the supporting element.

16. An electrical plug-in connector as claimed in claim 15, the spring arm is supported on the edge of the recess.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of the electrical plug-in connection according to the invention in an as yet not closed state, having an electrical plug-in connector and an electrical mating plug-in connector;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective illustration of the electrical plug-in connection of FIG. 1 in a closed state;

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective illustration, rotated through one hundred eighty degrees (180°) with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2, of the electrical plug-in connector according to the invention with a secondary securing means in a preliminary latching position;

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective illustration of the plug-in connector of FIG. 3 together with the electrical mating plug-in connector in a state in which they are not yet plugged together;

(6) FIG. 5 is a sectional illustration, rotated through 180°, of the electrical plug-in connection illustrated in FIG. 4;

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective illustration of the electrical plug-in connection illustrated in FIG. 4 with the secondary securing means in the locking position;

(8) FIG. 7 is a sectional illustration, rotated through one hundred eighty degrees (180°), of the electrical plug-in connection illustrated in FIG. 6;

(9) FIG. 8 is a separate perspective illustration of the secondary securing means illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 7;

(10) FIG. 9 is a perspective illustration of a second embodiment of the plug-in connection according to the invention with a secondary securing means in the preliminary latching position; and

(11) FIG. 10 is a sectional illustration, rotated through one hundred eighty degrees (180°), of the electrical plug-in connection illustrated in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(12) FIGS. 1 and 2 show an electrical plug-in connection 1 according to the invention in a partially plugged-in state (compare FIG. 1) and in a plugged-in state (compare FIG. 2). The electrical plug-in connection 1 has an electrical plug-in connector 2 and an electrical mating plug-in connector 3 for connection to the plug-in connector 2.

(13) The electrical plug-in connector 2 has a housing 4 and an external conductor 5 which is accommodated in the housing 4. The external conductor 5 surrounds an electrical internal conductor which is guided in the external conductor 5 and is electrically insulated from the external conductor 5 by means of a dielectric. However, this is not important in the context of the invention, and therefore the internal conductor and the dielectric are not shown in the exemplary embodiment for simpler illustration of the invention. The external conductor 5 and the internal conductor or the electrical plug-in connector 2 (and also the electrical mating plug-in connector 3) can further be connected to an electric cable, an electrical printed circuit board or another electrical module (likewise not illustrated).

(14) The electrical mating plug-in connector 3 likewise has a housing 6, wherein the housing 4 of the electrical plug-in connector 2 and the housing 6 of the electrical mating plug-in connector 3 are designed in such a way that they can be inserted one into the other.

(15) In the exemplary embodiment, a primary securing means 7 is provided for securing the plug-in connection 1, which primary securing means is formed by a latching hook 8 on the housing 6 of the mating plug-in connector 3, which latching hook can engage behind a corresponding edge 9 of a latching element 10 on the housing 4 of the plug-in connector 2 and in this way secures the electrical plug-in connection 1 from being pulled out in the closed state.

(16) FIG. 3 illustrates the electrical plug-in connector 2 of FIGS. 1 and 2 separately in a view from below and without the external conductor 5. The electrical plug-in connector 2 has a secondary securing means 11 for locking the plug-in connection 1. The secondary securing means 11 comprises a securing element 12 and a plug-in prevention means 13 (compare FIG. 8 in particular).

(17) In the exemplary embodiment, the securing element 12 of the secondary securing means 11 can enter a circumferential groove of a sleeve located around the external conductor 5 (not illustrated) and enter recesses 15 (compare for example FIGS. 1, 2 and 9) of the housing 4 of the plug-in connector 2 by means of one or more latching lugs 14 (compare FIG. 8) and therefore secure the housing 4 of the plug-in connector 2 to the sleeve encasing the external conductor 5.

(18) The securing element 12 can be movable, by a closing movement B, from a preliminary latching position (compare FIGS. 3 to 5) to a locking position (compare FIG. 6 and FIG. 7) in which the securing element 12 mechanically secures the plug-in connection 1.

(19) The closing movement B is a linear movement and runs preferably orthogonally to the insertion direction S of the plug-in connection 1. The plug-in prevention means 13 can be pivoted radially outward from a center axis M of the plug-in connector 2 in order to clear the displacement path of the mating plug-in connector 3 into the plug-in connector 2.

(20) In this case, the securing element 12 is operatively connected to the plug-in prevention means 13 in such a way that the plug-in prevention means 13 can be moved, during the closing movement B of the securing element 12, from a home position (compare for example FIG. 5), in which the plug-in prevention means 13 blocks complete insertion of the mating plug-in connector 3 into the plug-in connector 2, to a clearing position (compare for example FIG. 7), in which the plug-in prevention means 13 clears the displacement path between the mating plug-in connector 3 and the plug-in connector 2 for complete insertion of the mating plug-in connector 3 into the plug-in connector 2.

(21) According to a first embodiment, which is illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 8, the plug-in prevention means 13 can be moved in a rotational manner from the home position to the clearing position along a supporting element 16 (compare FIG. 5 and FIG. 7).

(22) The plug-in prevention means 13 has a stop head 17 for blocking the mating plug-in connector 3 and a deformable, preferably elastic, spring arm 18 which extends from the stop head 17 in the direction of the supporting element 16. In the exemplary embodiment, the supporting element 16 is formed as an edge of a recess in the housing 4 of the plug-in connector 2, wherein the spring arm 18 is supported on the edge of the recess. As a result, the plug-in prevention means 13 or at least its stop head 17 can be pivoted out of the displacement path of the mating plug-in connector 3 when the securing element 12 or the secondary securing means 11 is linearly operated. The principle is demonstrated, in particular, when FIGS. 5 and 7 are looked at together.

(23) The stop head 17 is designed in a reinforced manner in comparison with the spring arm 18. The stop head is preferably supported, by way of a supporting area 17a, on the edge 16, so that forces, which act on the stop head 17 in the event of undesired insertion of the mating plug-in connector 3, are introduced into the plug-in connector 2 via the edge 16.

(24) The plug-in prevention means 13 can preferably be supported on the external conductor 5 in the home position, in which the plug-in prevention means 13 blocks insertion of the mating plug-in connector 3 into the plug-in connector 2, as illustrated in FIG. 5. The electrical external conductor 5 of the plug-in connector 2 is preferably designed as a Koshiri ring in order to prevent damage to the external conductor 5 when the mating plug-in connector 3 is inserted at an angle.

(25) According to a second embodiment of the invention, provision can also be made for the plug-in prevention means 13 to be able to be moved in a rotational manner in the form of a rocker from the home position to the clearing position via a rotation axis A, as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10.

(26) In this case, the rotation axis A can be formed by a rotary joint of the housing 4 of the plug-in connector 2. In the exemplary embodiment, the rotation axis A runs orthogonally to the insertion direction S of the mating plug-in connector 3 into the plug-in connector 2. However, the rotation axis can also run parallel to the insertion direction S of the mating plug-in connector 3 in principle, as is indicated in FIG. 9 by illustration of an alternative rotation axis A,A.sub.Alt.

(27) While the invention has been described with reference to various preferred embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt to a particular situation or application of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed but rather, that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims, either literally or under the Doctrine of Equivalents.