Electromechanical connecting device

• US 6,821,126 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2003
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rosenberger Hochfrequenztechnik GmbH & Company KG (Rosenberger Technology (Kunshan) Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: MagCode AG (Rosenberger Technology (Kunshan) Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Neidlein, Hermann
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradley, P. Austin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hammond, Briggitte R.
• Application Number:
  US10/433,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20040029405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 439/38, 439/39, 439/40
• US Class Current: 439/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7037 making use of a magnetically operated switch

Abstract

An electromechanical connecting device comprises a current supply housing and a current tap housing, each with contact surfaces. The current supply housing is provided with a moving magnet carriage with current contacts. The magnet carriage on the current supply housing and on the current tap housing are both provided with magnets. A permanent magnet is arranged in the current supply housing on the side opposing the current tap housing. The current supply housing and the current tap housing may be forcibly connected and disconnected by a rotating device with a turning motion. The contact surfaces of the current supply housing and the current tap housing make contact earlier than the contact surfaces of the current supply housing and the magnet carriage on connection of the current supply housing and the current tap housing and on disconnection are in contact longer.

Claims

1. An electromechanical connecting device having a current supply housing and having a current tap housing, there being flat contacts in each case on facing sides of the housing, the current supply housing being provided with current supply terminals and with a movable magnetic carriage with current contact points which are connected to the current supply terminals, a permanent magnet being arranged in the current supply housing on the side facing away from the current tap housing, the magnetic carriage of the current supply housing and the current tap housing in each case being provided with magnets which are arranged in such a way that, when current supply housing and current tap housing are placed on each other, in each case magnets of different polarity are arranged opposite one another, as a result of which the current contact points of the magnetic carriage produce a connection to the flat contacts of the current supply housing, counter to a retaining force of the permanent magnet, and therefore also produce the current connection to the flat contacts in the current tap housing, characterized in that the current supply housing and the current tap housing can be forcibly connected to each other and disconnected by a rotating device via a turning motion, the rotating device having an entry/exit region and a current contact region, between which the current supply housing and the current tap housing can be rotated in relation to each other, the entry/exit region being arranged in such a way that the magnets of the current tap housing and of the magnetic carriage of the current supply housing are offset in relation to one another such that the magnetic carnage does not rest on the flat contacts of the current supply housing, the flat contacts of the current supply housing or of the current tap housing at least approximately having a shape of a circular arc, as a result of which the flat contacts of the current supply housing or of the current tap housing make contact earlier when current supply housing and current tap housing are connected and are in contact longer during their disconnection than the flat contacts of the current supply housing with the current contact points on the magnetic carriage.

2. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the flat contacts of the current supply housing and/or of the current tap housing extend at least approximately over the length of the turning motion of the rotating device.

3. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the flat contacts of the current supply housing and of the current tap housing are in contact in the entry/exit region.

4. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the magnets of the current tap housing and of the magnetic carriage of the current supply housing are arranged in the entry/exit region in such a way that, because of the magnetic action, an automatic turning motion of the current supply housing and of the current tap housing to the current contact region takes place.

5. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the current contact points of the magnetic carriage produce a connection to the flat contacts of the current supply housing counter to the retaining force of the permanent magnet in the current contact region.

6. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the rotating device is constructed as a bayonet-like closure.

7. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a precision locking means is provided in the current contact region.

8. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the switching speed of the magnetic carriage 4 resulting from the magnetic force of the magnets and/or the permanent magnet is so high that even relatively high currents, in particular at 42 volts, can be switched without arcing.

9. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the rotating device exhibits a rotary movement through a rotational angle such that the magnets of the current tap housing and of the magnetic carriage repel or attract more weakly in the entry/exit region than the retaining force of the permanent magnet, and attract in the current contact region.

10. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the rotating device permits a rotary movement through a rotational angle of 20°

to 40°

, preferably 30°

.

11. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the outer circumference of the current tap housing is constructed in such a way that, in the connecting region between the current tap housing and the current supply housing, the current tap housing encloses an adjacent outer circumference of the current supply housing.

12. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that, in the connecting region, the current tap housing has at least two inwardly directed projections, bolts, points, lugs, or hooks which engage in corresponding cutouts in the current supply housing.

13. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the projections, bolts, points, lugs or hooks can be injection-molded.

14. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the projections, bolts, points, lugs or hooks have an elongate form which, in the connecting region, tapers or has a bevel from that side of the current tap housing which faces the current supply housing in the direction of an underside of the housing.

15. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the current tap housing is provided on its outer circumference with a ring, on which the projections, bolts, points, lugs or hooks are arranged.

16. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the current tap housing or the projections are formed from a resilient or compliant material.

17. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the projections, bolts, points, lugs or hooks have different dimensions, and the opening width of the respective associated entry/exit region is matched thereto.

18. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the outer circumference of the current tap housing has resilient tongues, on which the projections or the like are arranged.

19. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the tongues are cut or milled from the material of the outer circumference of the current tap housing.

20. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the current tap housing and/or the current supply housing have differently polarized magnets for different voltages, in particular 12 volts and 24 volts.

21. The electromechanical connecting device as claimed in claim 20, characterized in that the magnets of the 12-volt current tap housing and the 12-volt current supply housing and of the 24-volt current tap housing and the 24-volt current supply housing are oppositely polarized.