Plug connector system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9831604-B2
Application number	US-201515310450-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2015
Priority date	May 19, 2014
Publication date	Nov 28, 2017
Grant date	Nov 28, 2017

Abstract

A plug-in connector system includes a multi-point connector, an electrical plug connector that can be attached to the multi-point connector, and a locking element for locking the electrical plug connector to the multi-point connector. The multi-point connector includes a plug portion and the plug connector includes a receiving portion that has a receiving opening such that, for connecting the plug connector to the multi-point connector, the plug portion can be guided through the receiving opening so as to engage in the receiving portion. A lock receiving opening is arranged in a side wall of the receiving portion at a spacing from the receiving opening. The side wall includes a first side wall portion between the receiving opening and the lock receiving opening and a second side wall portion between the lock receiving opening and the receiving base of the receiving portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A plug-in connector system comprising:
a multi-point connector;
an electrical plug connector configured to be attached to the multi-point connector; and
a locking element configured to lock the electrical plug connector to the multi-point connector,
wherein the multi-point connector comprises a plug portion and the plug connector comprises a receiving portion that has a receiving opening such that, for connecting the plug connector to the multi-point connector, the plug portion is configured to be guided through the receiving opening so as to engage in the receiving portion,
wherein a lock receiving opening is arranged in a side wall of the receiving portion at a spacing from the receiving opening,
wherein the side wall comprises a first side wall portion between the receiving opening and the lock receiving opening and a second side wall portion between the lock receiving opening and a receiving base of the receiving portion,
wherein the locking element comprises a control element and a lock portion that has a lock upper face and a lock lower face, wherein the lock portion is configured to engage in the lock receiving opening in the plug connector,
wherein the locking element on the plug connector is arranged so as to be movable in an attachment direction of the plug connector onto the multi-point connector so as to assume a locked position and at least one position different from the locked position,
wherein an outer face of the plug portion comprises a lock actuation element that has a front face oriented in an insertion direction of the multi-point connector into the plug connector and a rear face facing away from the front face, so that, when the plug portion engages in the receiving portion, the lock actuation element is configured to engage behind the lock portion of the locking element and,
wherein, in the locked position, the rear face of the lock actuation element rests on the lock portion and at least one part of the lock portion overlaps the first side wall portion in an overlapping region, wherein the lock upper face rests against an inner face of the first side wall portion in the overlapping region.

2. The plug-in connector system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one position different from the locked position comprises a rest position and, in the rest position of the lock portion, the lock portion is arranged inside the receiving portion so as to be offset from the first side wall portion, the lock upper face facing the inner face of the first side wall portion.

3. The plug-in connector system according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one position different from the locked position further comprises an unlocked position different from the rest position and, in the unlocked position, the lock lower face is arranged in alignment with the inner face of the first side wall portion.

4. The plug-in connector system according to claim 2 , wherein a movement direction of the locking element from the rest position into the locked position corresponds to the attachment direction of the plug connector onto the multi-point connector.

5. The plug-in connector system according to claim 3 , wherein a movement direction of the locking element from the rest position into the unlocked position corresponds to a direction counter to the attachment direction of the plug connector onto the multi-point connector.

6. The plug-in connector system according to claim 1 , further comprising a spring tongue arranged between the control element and the lock portion.

7. The plug-in connector system according to claim 6 , wherein the spring tongue is pre-tensioned and is configured to exert a pre-tensioning force in a direction perpendicular to the attachment direction of the plug connector onto the multi-point connector.

8. The plug-in connector system according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one position different from the locked position comprises a rest position and an unlocked position, and wherein a sliding portion is arranged between the spring tongue and the lock portion and a sliding edge is formed at a transition between the second side wall portion and the lock receiving opening, at least one part of the sliding portion resting on the sliding edge in the rest position and in the unlocked position.

9. A plug-in connector system comprising:
a multi-point connector;
an electrical plug connector configured to be attached to the multi-point connector; and
a locking element configured to loci the electrical plug connector to the multi-point connector,
wherein the multi-point connector comprises a plug portion and the plug connector comprises a receiving portion that has a receiving opening such that, for connecting the plug connector to the multi-point connector, the plug portion is configured to be guided through the receiving opening so as to engage in the receiving portion,
wherein a lock receiving opening is arranged in a sidewall of the receiving portion at a spacing from the receiving opening,
wherein the side wall comprises a first side wall portion between the receiving opening and the lock receiving opening and a second side wall portion between the lock receiving opening and a receiving base of the receiving portion,
wherein the locking element comprises a control element and a lock portion that has a lock upper face and a lock lower face, wherein the lock portion is configured to engage in the lock receiving opening in the plug connector,
wherein the locking, element on the plug connector is arranged so as to be movable in an attachment direction of the plug connector onto the multi-point connector so as to assume a locked position and at least one position different from the locked position, and
wherein an outer face of the plug portion comprises a lock actuation element that has a front face oriented in an insertion direction of the multi point connector into the plug connector and a rear face facing away from the front face, so that, when the plug portion engages in the receiving portion, the lock actuation element is configured to engage behind the lock portion of the locking element, and
wherein, in the locked position, the rear face of the lock actuation element rests on the lock portion and at least one part of the lock portion overlaps the first side wall portion in an overlapping region, wherein the lock upper face rests against an inner face of the first side wall portion in the overlapping region,
the plug-in connector system further comprising a spring tongue arranged between the control element and the lock portion, and a pivot point formed between the spring tongue and the control element, the spring tongue being configured to pivot about said pivot point.

10. A plug-in connector system comprising:
a multi-point connector;
an electrical plug connector configured to be attached to the multi-point connector; and
a locking element configured to lock the electrical plug connector to the multi-point connector,
wherein the multi-point connector comprises a plug portion and the plug connector comprises a receiving portion that has a receiving opening such that, for connecting the plug connector to the multi-point connector, the plug portion is configured to be guided through the receiving opening so as to engage in the receiving portion,
wherein a lock receiving opening is arranged in a side wall of the receiving portion at spacing from the receiving opening,
wherein the side wall comprises a first side wall portion between the receiving opening and the lock receiving opening and a second side wall portion between the lock receiving opening and a receiving base of the receiving portion,
wherein the locking element comprises a control element and

Assignees

• Phoenix Contact Gmbh & Co

Inventors

• Giefers Stefan

Classifications

• H01R13/639 Primary

  Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, {e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap} · CPC title

• H01R13/6275 Primary

  Latching arms not integral with the housing (H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence) · CPC title