Plug-in connector with a bushing

• US 6,780,068 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Anton Hummel Verwaltungs-GmbH
• Original Assignee: Anton Hummel Verwaltungs-GmbH
• Inventors: Bartholoma, Mario, Hoch, Achim, Bohusch, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, P. Austin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chung-Trans, X.
• Application Number:
  US10/257,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20040038596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 439/752, 439/95, 439/924.1, 439/660
• US Class Current: 439/752
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/426 Securing by a separate resilient retaining piece supported by base or case, e.g. collar or metal contact-retention clip
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/648 Protective earth or shield arrangements on coupling devices , e.g. anti-static shielding coaxially arranged shields H01R24/38

Abstract

A plug-in connector has an insulating body which holds electrical contacts, for example contact pins or contact tubes, in bores which extend in the axial direction. On its outside, the insulating body has a groove which opens outwardly and which intersects the holes or bores for the contacts over part of their radial extension. A retaining ring fits into the groove and in the working position, simultaneously engages in groove-like recesses provided on the contacts, thereby fixing the contacts in an axial direction. The retaining ring can also support at least one retaining tongue protruding preferably radially inwardly in the plane of the retaining ring. The retaining tongue extends into the area of a further bore for a middle contact through a channel or opening in the insulating body and in the working position, engages in the recess thereof so that this middle contact is also axially fixed.

Claims

1. Plug-in connector (1) comprising a bushing (2) and with an insulating member (3) arranged in the bushing (2) in a use position, and elongate contacts (4) which are fixed in holes or bores (6) located in the insulating member via projections on the contacts which engage in recesses (7), the projections extend transverse to an extension direction of the contacts (4) in the use position, the contacts or the bores (6) with the contacts (4) being located cylindrically concentric with a middle of the bushing (2) or of the insulating member and thus are located at an equal distance from an inner side of the bushing (2) or a surface (3a) of the insulating member (3), a further contact (41) being arranged in an interior of the imaginary cylinder, parallel to the other contacts (4), within a hole or bore (6), wherein the insulating member (3) has at least one groove (8) that extends around the outer surface (3a) and opens outwardly that intersects or passes through the holes or bores (6) for the contacts (4) over a portion of a radial extent thereof on a side facing the outer surface (3a) of the insulating member, and the groove (8) is arranged on the insulating member (3) at a height at which the recesses (7) of the contacts (4) are located in the use position, and a latching or retaining ring (9) is provided, formed of an insulating material and extending at least over a portion of the entire circumference of the insulating member (3), that fits into the groove (8) of the insulating member (3), and simultaneously engages in the use position as a projection into the recesses (7) of the contacts (4), and the retaining ring (9) includes at least one inwardly-projecting retaining tongue (10) which in the use position engages into a channel or perforation (11) extending inwardly from the groove (8) and projects to within a recess (7) of the further contact (41) located in the interior of the cylindrical and the hole or bore (6) receiving the contact (41).

2. Plug-in connector according to claim 1, wherein the retaining ring (9) extends over only a portion of a circle, and includes two free ends (9a) that can be moved apart elastically so that in a deformed state their spacing corresponds to a diameter of the insulating member (3) in a region of a base of the groove (8).

3. Plug-in connector according to claim 1, wherein the recesses (7), on the elongate contacts (4, 41) or contact pins, extend around a circumference thereof and are respectively bounded by a radially outwardly extending collar (12) that extends outwardly with respect to a contact region, and on a side remote from the recess (7) this collar (12) has a bevel or a cone shape (13) which, on insertion of the contact (4, 41) into the bore (6), contacts against the retaining ring (9) and deflects the retaining ring radially outwardly until the recess (7) of the contact (4, 41) is coincident with the groove (8) of the insulating member (3), so that the retaining ring (9) then automatically drops into the recess (7) of the contact (4, 41).

4. Plug-in connector according to claim 1, wherein one of the contacts arranged on an imaginary cylinder is provided as a grounding contact (411) and not engaged by the retaining ring (9), and the grounding contact (411) can be fixed in an axial direction by an electrically conductive retaining spring that fits into the groove (8) of the insulating member (3) and grips the grounding contact (411) with spring arms (15).

5. Plug-in connector according to claim 4, wherein the free ends (9a) of the retaining ring (9) in the use position are arranged on both sides of the grounding contact (411) and spaced apart therefrom.

6. Plug-in connector according to claim 4, wherein the retaining spring (14) for the grounding contact (411) can is formed of metal or of electrically conductive plastic, and includes on an outside thereof a bead or projection (16), which in the use position protrudes over a surface of the insulating member (3) at least by a play of the insulating member (3) with respect to the bushing (2) and/or a play of the retaining spring (14) in the groove (8) of the insulating member (3).

7. Plug-in connector according to claim 1, wherein a cross section of the retaining ring (9) generally fills a cross section of the groove (8) in the use position, or at least the radial extent or width of the retaining ring (9) corresponds to that of the groove (8), and the bushing (2) receiving the insulating member (3) accordingly fixes the use position of the retaining ring (9).

8. Plug-in connector according to claim 1, wherein the retaining tongue (10) of the retaining ring that projects radially inwardly has a concave shape at an end thereof, and thereby is at least partially adapted to a circumferential shape at a base of the recess (7) of the further contact (41).

9. Plug-in connector according to claim 1, wherein the retaining ring (9) extends around more than 180°

of the insulating member (3) within the groove (8) which extends around an entire circumference of the insulating member.

10. Plug-in connector according to claim 1, wherein the free ends (9a) of the retaining ring (9) are mutually beveled so that they form an insertion funnel for facilitating pushing the insulating member (3) onto or pushing into the groove (8).

11. Plug-in connector according to claim 1, wherein the bushing (2) enclosing the insulating member (3) is formed of metal and forms the housing of the plug-in connector (1), and includes a thread (17) on the outer side.

12. Plug-in connector according to claim 1, wherein the bushing (2) includes positioning projections or recesses on an inner side thereof, and the insulating member (3) includes deformations (18) fitting with the projections or recesses, which upon axial insertion of the insulating member (3) establish a preselected rotational position.

13. Plug-in connector according to claim 1, wherein an undercut is provided in the axial direction on an interior of the bushing, behind which undercut its at least one retaining tongue (19) fits which protrudes on the insulating member (3) in a radial direction, and is radially yieldable or can be pressed in, and is elastically resiliently pivotable.

14. Plug-in connector according to claim 13, wherein the retaining tongue (19), elastically resilient in the radial direction, is pivotable about a pivot axis parallel to the mid-axis of the insulating member (3) or of the plug-in connector (1), and extends in the circumferential direction of the insulating member (3).

15. Plug-in connector according to claim 14, wherein the elastically deformable retaining tongue (19) borders with a side face (22) on the groove (8), and bounds the groove (8), and wherein the retaining ring (9) and/or the retaining spring (14) lock the elastically resilient retaining tongue (19) in the use position against an axial deformation.

16. Plug-in connector according to claim 15, wherein the retaining tongue (19) has on its outer side a retaining projection (23) whose radial extent is equal to or smaller than a deformation path of the retaining tongue (19) in the radical direction.

17. Plug-in connector according to claim 1, wherein a width of the retaining ring (9) corresponds to a radical distance of the outwardly-facing surface of one of the respective (4) or contacts or contact pins from the outer side (3a) of the insulating member (3), and the width of the retaining ring (9) in the region of thin contact pins or females tacts is greater than in the region of thicker contact pins or female contacts.

18. Plug-in connector according to claim 1, wherein the retaining tongue (10) is located generally in the middle between the free ends (9a) of the retaining ring (9) and in a common plane with a remaining course of the ring, so that it is formed on a neutral zone when the retaining ring (9) is bent.