Holding frame for connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12088038-B2
Application number	US-201917769021-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2019
Priority date	Oct 16, 2019
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

A holding frame for connector includes different latch and spring elements on opposite side walls of a base frame attached and project with their respective guiding portion whose T- or L-shaped post. The guiding portion ensures through its catching funnel for a comfortable insertion of the connector modules in the correct polarization and thereby, and while holding the then in the holding frame latched connector modules, stabilizing the post. In the construction of the holding frame is a permutation of various latch and spring elements on the base frame by an interaction of their fixing contour with a fixing contour of the respective side wall of the base frame prevented. Due to the special shape of the latch and spring elements, a cable connection-side removal of a connector module is possible if the holding frame is already installed in a commercially available attachment housing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A holding frame ( 1 ) for a connector having connector modules ( 4 ), the holding frame ( 1 ) comprising:
a base frame ( 200 ) having
two longitudinal side walls ( 2 , 2 ′, 2 ″) parallel opposite to each other, namely a first side wall ( 2 , 2 ′) and a second side wall ( 2 , 2 ″),
two mutually parallel transverse walls ( 2 B) at right angles, and
integral latch and spring elements ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″), including
at least one first latch and spring element ( 3 , 3 ″) mounted on the first side wall ( 2 , 2 ′″), and
at least one second latch and spring element ( 3 , 3 ″) mounted on the second side wall ( 2 , 2 ′″),

wherein the base frame ( 200 ) with its transverse walls ( 2 B) and its side walls ( 2 ; 2 ′, 2 ″) has a rectangular cross-section, a cross-sectional area thereof defining a plane transverse to an insertion direction (R 4 ) of the connector modules ( 4 ); and
wherein the holding frame ( 1 ) has both a cable connection side opening ( 10 ) and opposite thereto a plug-side opening ( 100 ); and
wherein the integral latch and spring elements ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) each have
at least one reversibly bendable holding and guiding portion ( 3231 ) for inserting a connector module ( 4 ) and for holding of the inserted connector module ( 4 ) and
a fixing portion ( 33 ) for its own ( 3 ; 3 ′, 3 ″) fixation on the respective side wall ( 2 ; 2 ′, 2 ′″); and

wherein at each holding and guiding portion ( 3231 ) a latch ( 30 ) is formed which has a holding contour (K 30 ; K 30 ′, K 30 ″) with which a holding and guiding contour (K 4 ; K 4 ′, K 4 ″) of the connector module ( 4 ) inserted into the holding frame ( 1 ) is latched while the connector module ( 4 ) is held in the holding frame ( 1 );
wherein the first side wall ( 2 , 2 ′) and second side wall ( 2 , 2 ″) each has a plurality of spaced apart posts ( 21 ) extending opposite to the insertion direction (R 4 );
wherein two adjacent posts ( 21 ) on each sidewall ( 2 ′, 2 ″) each define a latching region ( 20 ) transversely to the insertion direction (R 4 ); and
wherein each latching region ( 20 ) has a side contour (K 2 ′, K 2 ″) defined by a shape of the respective posts ( 21 ); and
wherein the holding and guiding portion ( 3231 ) has a holding portion ( 32 ) having a side contour (K 32 ′, K 32 ″); and
wherein in or on the holding portion ( 32 ), the latch ( 30 ) is formed; and
wherein the holding and guiding portion ( 3231 ) has a first curvature and/or bending section (B 1 ) which is arranged and configured such that the holding portion ( 32 ) engages with the latch ( 30 ) and protrudes by a predetermined amount into the latching region ( 20 ); and
wherein the holding and guiding portion ( 3231 ) has a second curvature and/or bending (B 2 ), which is arranged and formed such that the holding portion ( 32 ) extends out of the latching region ( 20 ) opposite to the insertion direction (R 4 ); and
wherein the holding and guiding portion ( 3231 ) has a guiding portion ( 31 ) which extends beyond the insertion direction (R 4 ) beyond the posts ( 21 ) of the side wall ( 2 ; 2 ′, 2 ′″) and has a free-standing end ( 310 ); and
wherein the holding and guiding portion ( 3231 ) has a third curvature and/or bending (B 3 ) outwardly, by which the guiding portion ( 31 ) is set outwardly by a predetermined amount; and
wherein the guiding portion ( 31 ), towards its free-standing end ( 310 ), has a fourth curvature and/or bending (B 4 ) inwards, and thus in the opposite direction to the third curvature and/or bending (B 3 ),
whereby the side walls ( 2 ; 2 ′, 2 ″) and the latch and spring elements ( 3 ; 3 ′, 3 ″) are adapted such that a cable connection side insertion and removal of the connector module ( 4 ) in/from the holding frame ( 1 ) installed in a mounting housing ( 5 ) of the connector is made possible.

2. The holding frame ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said latch comprises a latching window ( 30 ) or is formed by the latching window ( 30 ).

3. The holding frame ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein each latch and spring element ( 3 , 3 ′, 3 ″) comprises at least two of said holding and guiding portions ( 3231 ).

4. The holding frame ( 1 ) according to claim 1 ,
wherein the posts ( 21 ) include T-shaped posts ( 21 ) and L-shaped posts ( 21 ),
wherein the L-shaped posts ( 21 ) are arranged at the respective ends of each side wall ( 2 ′, 2 ′″), and
wherein the T-shaped posts ( 21 ) are arranged on the respective side wall ( 2 ′, 2 ″) between the L-shaped posts ( 21 ).

5. The holding frame ( 1 ) according to claim 1 ,
wherein the guiding portion ( 31 ) is designed widened in its region extending beyond the side wall ( 2 , 2 ′, 2 ″) transversely to the insertion direction (R 4 ) and parallel to a side wall ( 2 , 2 ′, 2 ″) such that two adjacent guiding portions ( 31 ) are arranged adjacent to each other and have a predetermined small distance.

6. The holding frame ( 1 ) according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second (B 2 ) and third (B 3 ) curvature and/or bending are designed and arranged such that the holding and guiding portion ( 3231 ) is in an area extending between the second (B 2 ) and third (B 3 ) curvature and/or bending substantially parallel to the insertion direction (R 4 ), and that
at a bend of the holding and guiding portion ( 3231 ) outwardly for insertion or removal of the respective connector module ( 4 ) a movement of this area is largely in the form of a parallel displacement transversely to the insertion direction (R 4 ).

7. The holding frame ( 1 ) according to claim 1 ,
wherein the fixing portion ( 33 ) is formed in such a slender U-shape with an outer and inner leg extending parallel to the insertion direction (R 4 ), that the fixing portion ( 33 ) with its outer and inner legs form fittingly encompasses a lower edge of the respective side wall ( 2 ′, 2 ″) such that the latch and spring element ( 3 ′, 3 ″) on the side wall ( 2 ′, 2 ″) of the base frame ( 200 ) is fixed,
wherein the inner leg extends on an inside of the side wall ( 2 ′, 2 ″), and
wherein the holding and guiding portion ( 3231 ) is formed on the inner leg, and
wherein the outer leg extends on an outside of the side wall ( 2 ′, 2 ″) and has a fixing contour (K 33 ′, K 33 ″), and
wherein the side wall ( 2 ′, 2 ″) has a further fixing contour (K 3 ′, K 3 ″) which is provided by a lowered terrace ( 23 ) on the outside of the side wall ( 2 ′, 2 ′″),
wherein the fixing contour (K 33 ′, K 33 ″) of the outer leg of the latch and spring element ( 3 ′, 3 ′″) in an assembled state form fittingly engages the further fixing contour (K 3 ′, K 3 ″) of the side wall ( 2 ′, 2 ″).

8. The holding frame ( 1 ) according to claim 1 ,
wherein on the free-standing end ( 310 ) of the guiding portion ( 31 ) a guiding contour (K 31 ; K 31 ′, K 31 ″) is provided which is formed correspondingly with the holding and guiding contour (K 4 ; K 4 ′, K 4 ″) of the connector module ( 4 ) such that an insertion and also a fixation of the connector module ( 4 ) with a correctly polarization in a proper orientation in the holding frame ( 1 ) is possible, but that prevents insertion of the connector module ( 4 ) in a wrong polarization.

9. The holding frame ( 1 ) according to claim 8 ,
wherein the guiding portion ( 31 ) has an insertion recess ( 301 ) having the guiding contour (K 31 ; K 31 ′, K 31 ″) at its free-standing end ( 310 ).

10. The holding frame ( 1 ) according to claim 9 ,
wherein the insertion recess ( 301 ) has a further recess ( 303 ) arranged centrally therein and/or a chamfer ( 302 ), so that a catching funnel for the holding and guiding contour (K 4 ; K 4 ′, K 4 ″) of the connector module ( 4 ) is provide

Assignees

• Harting Electric Stiftung & Co Kg

Inventors

• Ding Chuansheng
• Wang Yingtao
• He Jingcai
• Meier Heiko

Classifications

• H01R13/514 Primary

  composed as a modular blocks or assembly, i.e. composed of co-operating parts provided with contact members or holding contact members between them · CPC title

• H01R13/506 Primary

  assembled by snap action of the parts · CPC title

• H01R13/518 Primary

  for holding or embracing several coupling parts, e.g. frames · CPC title