Electrical plug connector

• US 7,581,982 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2007
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: I F M Electronic GmbH
• Original Assignee: I F M Electronic GmbH
• Inventors: Anzer, Gilbert, Mehnert, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Prasad; Chandrika
• Application Number:
  US12/279,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20090023329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: 439/490, 439/488, 439/489, 439/910, 524/407, 425/131.1, 362/291
• US Class Current: 439/490
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/465 Identification means, e.g. labels, tags, markings H01R9/2475, H01R9/2683 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6691 with built-in signalling means H01R13/717 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/717 with built-in light source
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7175 Light emitting diodes (LEDs)

Abstract

An electrical plug connector for connection of an electrical cable (2) to an apparatus, such as a sensor or an actuator, includes a housing (3) having a contact mount (5) holding a variety of contacts (4), and an electronics circuit (6) having at least one light-emitting element, LED (7) and being electrically connected to the contacts (4). The status of whether the LED (7) is illuminated or not can be identified particularly well, even in the presence of strong external incident light, by the housing (3) being composed of a thermoplastic material, at least in the area of the LEDs (7), and including an additive (8) that influences transparency and color for reducing the transparency of the thermoplastic material.

Claims

1. An electrical plug connector for connection of an electrical cable to an apparatus, including a sensor or an actuator, or for detachable connection of two electrical cables to one another, the electrical plug comprising:

a housing, having a contact mount that holds a plurality of contacts, and including an electronics circuit arranged in the housing and with the electronics circuit having at least one light-emitting element, including an LED and being electrically connected to the contacts,

wherein the housing is composed of a thermoplastic material, at least in an area of the light-emitting element, the thermoplastic material having an additive that influences transparency and color, and that reduces the transparency of the thermoplastic material, and

wherein the additive is a color concentrate with at least one of an organic and an inorganic colorant, and having a dark color, so that when the LED is illuminated, the LED is seen from outside the housing, and when the LED is not illuminated, the LED and the electronics circuit are not seen or are seen only poorly, and a clear increase in contrast is achieved, and so that a status of the LED is easily seen when the plug connector is subject to strong external incident light.

2. The electrical plug connector of claim 1, wherein the proportion by weight of the additive is less than 5%.

3. The electrical plug connector of claim 1, wherein the proportion by weight of the additive is between 1% and 3%.

4. The electrical plug connector of claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane (PUR), polyether-polyurethane, thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) or polyvinylchloride (PVC).

5. The electrical plug connector of claim 1, wherein the housing is composed entirely of the thermoplastic material which is provided with the additive.

6. The electrical plug connector of claim 1, wherein the transparency and color of the housing is such that the housing is completely non-transparent and only the specific wavelength of the light-emitting element is viewable from outside of the housing.

7. The electrical plug connector of claim 1, wherein a union nut is provided and is arranged on the contact mount such that the union nut rotates and moves axially to a limited extent, and wherein the union nut has a thread and is screwed to a sleeve that has a corresponding thread on a mating plug connector.

8. The electrical plug connector of claim 1, wherein the conductors of an electrical cable are connected to the electronics circuit and the electrical cable is surrounded by the housing on the side facing away from the contact mount.

9. The electrical plug connector of claim 1, wherein a second contact mount, which holds a plurality of contacts, is arranged on the side of the housing facing away from the first contact mount with the contacts of the second contact mount being electrically connected to the electronics circuit.

10. The electrical plug connector of claim 1, wherein a plurality of differently colored LEDs are provided, and used for status indication.

11. The electrical plug connector of claim 9, wherein the LEDs are surface mounted devices (SMDs).

12. The electrical plug connector of claim 1, comprising two LEDs, wherein the LEDs are arranged under a transparent cover which is arranged within the housing, and including two symbols that are formed in the housing above the cover and which are associated with the two LEDs, the symbols including two arrows that point in opposite directions and through which the light from the LEDs passes.

13. The electrical plug connector of claim 12, wherein the cover is in the form of an aperture such that only light coming from the associated LED respectively passes through the two symbols.

14. The electrical plug connector of claim 1, wherein the plug connector has a cross section which is angled through about 90°

, such that there is an angle of about 90°

between a longitudinal direction of a connected electrical cable and a longitudinal direction of the contacts.

15. The electrical plug connector of claim 5, wherein the transparency and color of the housing is such that the housing is completely non-transparent and only the specific wavelength of the light-emitting element is viewable from outside of the housing.