Connector element

• US 7,850,472 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2008
• Issued: 12/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Techpointe S.A.
• Original Assignee: Techpointe S.A.
• Inventors: Friedrich, Juergen, Kawa, Krystian
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; T C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Imas; Vladimir
• Application Number:
  US12/529,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20100105235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 439/256, 439/255, 439/257, 439/254, 439/320, 439/352
• US Class Current: 439/256
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/506 assembled by snap action of the parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/622 Screw-ring or screw-casing H01R13/623 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6277 comprising annular latching means, e.g. ring snapping in an annular groove
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6278 comprising a pin snapping into a recess
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/639 Additional means for holding or locking coupling parts together, after engagement, e.g. separate keylock, retainer strap

Abstract

The invention relates to a connector element (1) of an electrical connector, comprising a contact carrier (3) that is provided with one or more electrical contacts (18), an actuation sleeve (4) which surrounds the contact carrier (3), and a threaded engaging part (7) that is provided with one or more engaging thread projections (5) which are to penetrate into a mating thread (6) of a mating connector element (2). The actuation sleeve (4) can be moved from a released position, in which the thread projections (5) do not engage into the mating thread (6) and the connector element (1) can be connected to the mating connector element (2), into a locked position, in which the thread projections (5) engage into the mating thread (6) and the connector element (1) is tied to the mating connector element (2). The engaging thread projections (5) are supported by spring tongues (8) which can be moved from the released position into the locked position by axially moving the actuation sleeve (4) against the spring bias thereof. The spring tongues (8) are monolithically molded onto a spring tongue support (9) that annularly surrounds the contact carrier (3). The threaded engaging part (7) is made of plastic and forms a mating catching means (12) that cooperates with a catching means (13) of the actuation sleeve (4) in order to lock the actuation sleeve (4) into place in both the released position and the locked position.

Claims

1. Connector element of an electrical plug-in connection having a contact carrier which has one or more electrical contacts, an actuating sleeve which surrounds the contact carrier, and having a thread engagement part having one or more thread engagement projections for entry into a mating thread of a mating connector element, it being possible to move the actuating sleeve from a released position, in which the thread projections do not engage in the mating thread and the connector element can be connected to the mating connector element, into a locked position, in which the thread projections engage in the mating thread and the connector element is secured to the mating connector element, the actuating sleeve having actuating arms and lifting surfaces being provided, in order to move the thread engagement projections into the thread engagement position when the actuating sleeve is displaced, wherein the lifting surfaces are provided on the actuating arms, which actuating arms are disposed between spring tongues which carry the thread projections, the actuating sleeve being rotatably disposed on the contact carrier together with a spring tongue carrier which carries the spring tongues.

2. Connector element according to claim 1, having at least three actuating arms which are uniformly distributed in the circumferential direction.

3. Connector element according to claim 1, wherein the thread engagement projections are formed by arcuate pieces which are integrally formed at the ends of the spring tongues.

4. Connector element according to claim 1, wherein inclined surfaces of the actuating arms engage beneath the edges of the arcuate pieces.

5. Connector element according to claim 1, having wedge pieces which slide between two arcuate pieces when the actuating sleeve is displaced into the locked position.

6. Connector element according to claim 1, wherein the thread engagement projections have protrusions which project beyond the spring tongues laterally in the circumferential direction and beneath which the lifting surfaces move.

7. Connector element according to claim 1, wherein the actuating sleeve is associated with the spring tongue carrier in a rotationally fixed but axially displaceable manner.

8. Connector element according to claim 1, wherein the spring tongue carrier is merely rotatably associated with the contact carrier.

9. Connector element according to claim 1, having a first latching position in which the actuating sleeve is held in the released position.

10. Connector element according to claim 1. wherein a spring tongue forms an axial slot in the region of the spring tongue carrier, said axial slot being surrounded at its edge by a U-shaped latching rib which forms latching cutouts, latching lugs of the actuating sleeve entering said latching cutouts.