Electrical plug and socket connector

• US 4,812,136 A
• Filed: 04/22/1988
• Issued: 03/14/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: OTTO Dunkel GmbH Fabrik Fur Elektrotechnische Gerate
• Original Assignee: OTTO Dunkel GmbH Fabrik Fur Elektrotechnische Gerate
• Inventors: Molitor, Paul-Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, Paula A. A.
• Application Number:
  US07/184,890
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• Field of Search: 439/275, 439/279, 439/281, 439/592-594, 439/589, 439/598, 439/603
• US Class Current: 439/589
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/521 Sealing between contact members and housing, e.g. sealing insert

Abstract

An electrical plug and socket connector includes a two-part connector frame (1) which can be affixed to an apparatus housing, and further includes a two-piece insulating body (4, 5) enclosed between the two frame parts (2, 3), which insulating body has a plurality of bores to accommodate contact elements (6, 7) in the form of plug pins, plug sockets, or the like, which contact elements are connectable to electrical conductors on the rear side of the connector. The insulating body includes a frontwardly disposed supporting and guiding plate (4) fabricated of thermoplastic plastic. The insulating body also includes a rear plate (5). In order to achieve a trouble-free seal, the rear plate of the insulating body is in the form of a sealing plate (5) of rubberlike elastic material, and this sealing plate (5) is particularly dimensioned with respect to the supporting and guiding plate (4), which supporting and guiding plate rests against the outwardly curved or flared flange (12) of the front part of the frame. Namely, the sealing plate (5) is so dimensioned with respect to the face of the supporting and guiding plate (4) which is directed toward it, that after the two frame parts (2, 3) are fastened together the edge region (13) of the sealing plate is held in compression against a supporting edge region (14) of the rear frame part (3), whereby a trouble-free seal is created.

Claims

1. An electrical plug and socket connector, comprising:

an elongated metal connector frame (1) adapted to be affixed to an apparatus housing or the like, the connector frame including a frame front part (2) and a frame rear part (3);

a two-piece insulating body (4,

     5) fabricated of insulating materials and enclosed between the frame front and rear parts, said insulating body having a plurality of bores therein for accommodating a plurality of contact elements (6,

     7) in the form of plug pins, plug sockets, or the like which elements become enclosed in and insulated by the insulating materials of the said insulating body, said contact elements (6,

     7) being connectable to electrical conductors at a rear side of the connector, and at a front side of the connector said contact elements (6,

     7) being engagable with mating contact elements of a corresponding multiconductor socket, plug or like member which are connected to a connecting cable, wherein the insulating body includes a front supporting and guiding plate (4) fabricated of thermoplastic plastic and having bores therein to accommodate frontward regions of the contact elements (6,

     7), and a rear plate (5) with corresponding bores for rearward regions of the contact elements;

the rear plate of the insulating body being in the form of a sealing plate (5) of rubberlike elastic material, said sealing plate (5) being so dimensioned with respect to the face of said supporting and guiding plate (4) which face is directed toward it, and which supporting and guiding plate rests against an outwardly curved flange (12) of the front part of the frame, that after the two frame parts (2,

     3) are fastened together an edge region (13) of said sealing plate which faces away from the supporting and guiding plate (4) is held in compression against a supporting edge region (14) of the rear frame part (3), so as to furnish a seal therewith;

and wherein the bores passing through the sealing plate (5) are configured to have therein ring-shaped grooves with supporting-shoulders (17,

     18) for engaging ring-shaped collars (15,

     16) on the contact elements which collars project radially outward and fix the position of the contact elements (6,

     7) when said contact elements are pushed into the connector assembly.

2. An electrical plug and socket connector according to claim 1, wherein there are provided narrowed regions (19) of smaller diameter in the bores in the sealing plate (5) in the region of the openings of said bores into the corresponding bores in the front supporting and guiding plate (4).

3. An electrical plug and socket connector according to claim 1, wherein, in the sealing plate (5), at a distance from each bore containing a contact element (6, 7), a ring-shaped slot (22) is provided which extends concentrically to said bore, with a matching ring-shaped axial projection (23) on the supporting and guiding plate (4) extending into and engaging the said ring-shaped slot (22).