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(11) | EP 0 713 265 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
Electrical connector Elektrischer Verbinder Connecteur électrique |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
[0002] In particular, the present innovation relates to a connector of the sort that comprises a hollow body of insulating material containing an internal socket, and an electrical terminal or plug which is attached to one end of an electrical lead and engages, in use, in this internal socket. The terminal is normally kept engaged in the socket by a locking device comprising an elastic tab projecting from the terminal: once this terminal has been pushed into the socket the tab opens out inside the socket so that its free end portion abuts against a shoulder formed on the body.
[0003] Although known connectors of the kind described above are extremely simple from the point of view of their manufacture, they suffer from the major drawback of being unreliable in use. What often happens is that once the terminal has been pushed into the socket, the tab does not expand against the shoulder: the terminal is therefore left loose and, owing to the force exerted in pushing it into a corresponding connector, and also owing to the forces exerted by the lead and, later, by the vibrations to which it is normally subject, the terminal comes out of the socket and breaks the electrical connection. Known connectors of the type described above can therefore produce a high number of discards and require checking and adjusting during their use.
[0004] The object of the present innovation is to provide an electrical connector that will solve the above problems in a simple and economical manner.
[0005] The present innovation provides an electrical connector comprising a first component of insulating material containing a socket, a conducting second component designed to be attached to one end of an electrical lead and that engages releasably in the socket, and first releasable locking means located inside the socket for keeping the conducting second component engaged in this seat, characterized by second locking means which lie, in use, entirely outside of said first component and comprise first stop means on one of said components, second stop means on the other of these components, and means of relative mobility interposed between said second stop means and the latter's component to allow these second stop means to move relative to the first stop means between a working position, in which they engage positively with the first stop means to hold said second component in said socket, and a rest position, in which they allow said second component to be uncoupled from this socket.
[0006] The innovation will now be described with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting embodiment thereof and in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the connector according to the present innovation;
Figure 2 is a figure similar to Figure 1, and illustrates the connector in a working condition; and
Figure 3 is a section taken on the line III-III marked in Figure 2.
[0007] In the attached figures, 1 denotes a connector for electrical leads comprising a body 2 of insulating material containing a socket 3 defined by a through channel of longitudinal axis 4. The connector 1 also comprises a terminal or plug 5, which in turn comprises an intermediate plate 6 which, in use, lies outside any contact with the body 2, and two end portions marked 7 and 8 located on opposite sides of the plate 6, with portion 7 being connected electrically in a known manner to one end part of an electrical lead 9.
[0008] The portion 8 comprises a first part 10 located inside the socket 3, and a second part 11 projecting out of the body 2 from the first part 10.
[0009] The first part 10 is kept engaged in the socket 3 by a releasable locking device 12 comprising an elastic latch 13 located inside the socket 3 and integral at one end with the first part 10 while its opposite end abuts, when in use, against a shoulder 14 formed inside the body 2.
[0010] The device 12 also comprises a locking tab 15 which is attached to the plate 6, lies outside the body 2, and is connected to the plate 6 by a transverse bend line or weakening. The bend line defines a virtual hinge 16 enabling the tab 15 to rotate relative to the body 2 about an axis 17 parallel with the axis 4 between a rest position, illustrated in Figure 1, in which the tab 15 forms with the plate 6 an angle of approximately 90°, and a working position, illustrated in Figure 2, in which the tab 15 is approximately in line with the plate 6 and engages positively in a locking socket 18 formed in the body 2.
[0011] When in use, the terminal 5 is connected to the body 2 in such a way that the part 10 engages in the socket 3 and the latch 13 abuts against the shoulder 14. At this point the tab 15 is rotated about the axis 17 from its rest position to its working position, in which it engages in the socket 18 and connects the terminal 5 firmly to the body 2.
[0012] It will be clear from the above account that even if the locking action of the latch 13 were to fail for any reason, the reliability and stability of the connection between the terminal 5 and the body 2 are still guaranteed by the tab 15, which, when engaged in the socket 18, prevents any relative movement between the terminal 5 and the body 2. As a result, when it comes to testing, the number of discards caused by disengagement of the terminal 5 from its socket 3 is reduced, and all the operations of re-introducing the plug 5 in the body 2 while the connector 1 is in use are effectively eliminated.
[0013] It will also be clear from the above account that the connector 1 here described can be modified and altered in ways as specified in the appended claims. In particular, the shape of the tab 15 can be altered and a number of tabs which are the same as or different from this tab 15 can be used for releasably fastening the terminal 5 to the body 2. In this latter case the latch 13 could be dispensed with.
1. Electrical connector (1) comprising a first component (2) of insulating material containing
a socket (3), a conducting second component (5) designed to be attached to one end
of an electrical lead (9) and that engages releasably in the socket (3), and first
releasable locking means (12) located inside the socket for keeping the conducting
second component (5) engaged in this seat (3), characterized by second blocking means
(12) which lie, in use, entirely outside of said first component (2) and comprise
first stop means (18) on one (2) of said components (2) (5), second stop means (15)
on the other (5) of these components (2) (5), and means of relative mobility (16)
interposed between said second stop means (15) and the latter's component (5) to allow
these second stop means (15) to move relative to the first stop means (18) between
the working position, in which they engage positively with the first stop means (18)
to hold said second component (5) in said socket (3), and a rest position, in which
they allow said second component (5) to be uncoupled from this socket (3).
2. Connector according to Claim 1, characterized in that said first stop means comprise
at least one other locking socket (18).
3. Connector according to Claim 2, characterized in that said second stop means comprise
at least one tab (15) designed to engage positively and releasably in said other seat
(18).
4. Connector according to Claim 3, characterized in that said means of relative mobility
comprise a virtual hinge (16) between said tab (15) and its component (5).
5. Connector according to Claim 4, characterized in that the socket (3) of said first
component (2) has a longitudinal axis (4), and said hinge (16) is able to allow said
tab (15) to rotate relative to its said component (5) about an axis (17) that is generally
parallel with said longitudinal axis (4).
6. Connector according to one of Claims 3 to 5, characterized in that said tab (15) is
on said conducting second component (5), and said other socket (18) is formed on said
first component (2).
1. Elektrischer Verbinder (1) mit einer ersten Komponente (2) aus isolierendem Material,
die einen Sockel (3) enthält, mit einer zweiten Komponente (5), die konstruiert ist,
um an einem Ende eines elektrischen Leiters (9) befestigt zu werden, und lösbar in
den Sockel (3) eingreift und mit ersten lösbaren Verriegelungsmitteln (12), die innerhalb
des Sockels positioniert sind, um die leitende zweite Komponente (5) in diesem Sitz
(3) im Eingriff zu halten, gekennzeichnet durch zweite Blockiermittel (12), die bei
der Benutzung vollständig außerhalb der ersten Komponente (2) liegen, und erste Anschlagmittel
(18) an einer (2) der Komponenten (2, 5) umfassen, zweite Anschlagmittel (15) an der
anderen (5) dieser Komponenten (2, 5) und Mittel für relative Mobilität (16), eingefügt
zwischen dem zweiten Anschlagmittel (15) und der letztgenannten Komponente (5), um
diesen zweiten Anschlagmitteln (15) eine Relativbewegung bezüglich des ersten Anschlagmittels
(18) zwischen der Arbeitsposition, in der es im Formschluß mit dem ersten Anschlagmittel
(18) ist, zu ermöglichen, um die zweite Komponente (5) in dem Sockel (3) zu halten
und einer Ruheposition zu bewegen, in der es der zweiten Komponente (5) ermöglicht,
aus dem Sockel (3) ausgekoppelt zu werden.
2. Elektrischer Verbinder nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das erste Anschlagmittel
mindestens einen anderen Verriegelungssockel (18) umfaßt.
3. Elektrischer Verbinder nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das zweite Anschlagmittel
mindestens einen Fortsatz (15) umfaßt, ausgebildet zum formschlüssigen und lösbaren
Eingreifen in den anderen Sitz (18).
4. Elektrischer Verbinder nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß das Mittel relativer
Mobilität ein virtuelles Gelenk (16) zwischen dem Fortsatz (15) und seiner Komponente
(5) umfaßt.
5. Elektrischer Verbinder nach Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Sockel (3)
der ersten Komponente (2) eine Längsachse (4) aufweist und das Gelenk (16) in der
Lage ist, dem Fortsatz (15) zu ermöglichen, relativ zu seiner genannten Komponente
(5) um eine Achse (17) zu rotieren, die generell parallel zu der Längsachse (4) verläuft.
6. Elektrischer Verbinder nach einem der Ansprüche von 3 bis 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
daß der Fortsatz (15) an der leitenden zweiten Komponente (5) angebracht ist und daß
der andere Sockel (18) an der ersten Komponente (2) ausgebildet ist.
1. Connecteur électrique (1) comprenant un premier élément (2) en matériau isolant contenant
une douille (3), un second élément conducteur (5) destiné à être fixé à l'une des
extrémités d'un câble électrique (9) et qui vient en contact, de façon amovible dans
ladite douille (3), et des premiers moyens de blocage (12) amovibles disposés à l'intérieur
de la douille pour maintenir le second élément conducteur (5) en prise dans cette
douille (3), caractérisé en ce que des seconds moyens de blocage (12) s'étendent,
en cours d'utilisation, entièrement à l'extérieur dudit premier élément (2) et comportent
un premier moyen de butée (18) sur l'un (2) desdits éléments (2) (5), un second moyen
de butée (15) sur l'autre (5) de ces éléments (2) (5), et des moyens ayant une mobilité
relative (16) intercalés entre ledit second moyen de butée (15) et le dernier élément
(5), pour permettre à ce second moyen de butée (15) de se déplacer par rapport au
premier moyen de butée (18) entre la position de travail, dans laquelle il vient en
prise de façon effective, avec le premier moyen de butée (18) pour maintenir ledit
second élément (5) dans ladite douille (3), et une position de repos dans laquelle
ils permettent audit second élément (5) d'être détaché de cette douille (3).
2. Connecteur selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que ledit premier moyen de
butée comporte au moins une autre douille de blocage (18).
3. Connecteur selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que ledit second moyen de butée
comporte au moins une languette (15) destinée à venir en prise de façon effective
et amovible dans ladite autre douille (18).
4. Connecteur selon la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que lesdits moyens ayant une
mobilité relative comportent une articulation virtuelle (16) entre ladite languette
(15) et son élément (5).
5. Connecteur selon la revendication 4, caractérisé en ce que la douille (3) dudit premier
élément (2) présente un axe longitudinal (4) et ladite articulation (16) est capable
de permettre à ladite languette (15) de tourner par rapport à son dit élément (5)
autour d'un axe (17) qui est généralement parallèle audit axe longitudinal (4).
6. Connecteur selon l'une quelconque des revendications 3 à 5, caractérisé en ce que
ladite languette (15) est montée sur ledit second élément conducteur (5) et ladite
autre douille (18) est formée sur ledit premier élément (2).